Faerie Rings
by starltwanderer
Summary: Can Sarah and Jareth work past the issues her run of the Labyrinth caused both of them? And where can they turn when new issues start arising? What really happens when you start tangling with Faerie Rings? Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x) 

A quiet clanking resounded in the house as the crystal orb she'd set on a stand for Christmas, and left up, fell yet again and bounced, rolling across the floor for the third time that day. This had been going on for weeks, since she'd brought it home, but it'd become more frequent as time had passed.

"You'd think that he'd possessed you," she sighed, scooping the orb up again, careful to avoid even thinking HIS name. Ever since that fateful day running the Labyrinth, she'd not dared to whisper his name and tried not to ever think of him, not that she had really been all that successful in that endeavour.

Her small cottage was all she needed now, well that and her computer. The intervening decade had been great for her, especially once she realized she could move on and live her own life the way she wanted. The vanity she'd sat at and talked with her friends through had stayed at her father's when she moved out... at least until the week previously it had.

"Irene wants to turn your old room in to an office, Sarah. She asked me to bring this by," her father had said.

The book had still lain in the drawer, just as it had since the time she'd returned home, a decade ago, Toby safely with her. They hadn't even bothered to check if there was anything in it, just packed it in to a truck with a few boxes of her other belongings and brought it down. She'd set the vanity in the living room and covered it with a sheet that very night. She'd not spoken to her friends in seven years, not since she had left for university, at least not really. They'd talked briefly when she would visit home, but nothing like the first three years, when Didymus, Hoggle and Ludo saw her through terrible breakups and the typicality of high school drama. When she'd found the book in the drawer, she had decided that maybe, just maybe it had been punished enough hiding away, a thought she thought laughable, and put it on the bookcase in her bedroom, next to some of her favourite books.

Sarah had covered the vanity because she wasn't sure what to say about the last three years of absolutely no contact. Sure, she had heartachingly missed her friends, but she wasn't sure she was ready to face him again, or the idea of him for that matter.

Crossing the room to the kitchen, she could hear the soft thud of fabric falling and landing on itself. That was the problem with magical items… minds of their own. Peeking out, she could see the heavy tablecloth she'd used to cover the vanity on the floor, and the Labyrinth shimmering to life behind it in the mirror.

Sighing, she put the kettle on her little stove and grabbed a tea bag from the box, opening it and dropping it into the mug she had waiting on the counter. While she waited for the whistle, she hid from the mirror's view in the tiny kitchen, instead of bustling about the house doing little jobs like she normally would.

"Sawah? SAWAH?" she could hear Ludo crying mournfully from the mirror.

Paralyzed with indecision, she peered around the corner, not letting the people standing in the mirror catch view of her. She could see Ludo and Sir Didymus looking out into her living room.

"I say, my Lady, are thoust there?"

Sarah leaned back against the counter and turned the near-whistling kettle off, sighing. Her hands were trembling as she poured the water over the bag of Earl Grey tea, staring at the water slowly becoming darker and darker. Finally, the yelling in the mirror became too much, Ludo was causing a ruckus in frustration, Didymus was politely yelling, as though there was any other way he COULD speak but politely. She pitched the teabag, dropped in a few sugar cubes and a splash of cream, before stepping back in to the living room. In the mirror, Ludo and Sir Didymus's faces lit in joy.

"My Lady! We had feared the worst! You were gone so long…"

"About that… it's not that. Well. Firstly, I didn't move back to my dad's after university, and secondly, I've been… trying to…" she whispered looking sadly at the mirror, before turning away, trying not to break her friend's hearts if she did start crying.

"Trying to what, my Lady?"

"Trying to decide if the risk of HIM finally finding me again was worth it," Sarah sighed again, as she was constantly doing anymore, as she sank into a plush overstuffed chair that sat across from the vanity mirror her friends stood in.

"Sawah fwiend!" Ludo cried mournfully again, sensing her hurt.

"I love you too Ludo. I just… odd things have been happening. I found this great crystal ball at a Christmas shoppe, with a lovely little pedestal, and it's like it has a mind of its own. Bouncing all over the place like his did. You know how much care I went to to make sure he didn't know when we were all talking."

A concerned look crossed over Didymus's face. "But you are alright my Lady?"

Sarah smiled a little at his concern. "Yes, Sir Didymus, I am alright. Just didn't go home after I finished my degree, moved a couple of hours away and took a great job. Like really great. Mom would be proud, if she'd ever take five minutes from being the great Lynda Williams on Broadway… Hey. Where's Hoggle? You never show up without him."

"Ah, well my Lady, there is a new runner in the Labyrinth, he wished away his young daughter in a fit of frustration. Well. It's a pair of runners actually. An oddly unprecedented situation. The mother was there too, they both tried to stop His Majesty."

"At least that means he won't show up here," Sarah chirped cheerfully.

"Things have been different since you left my Lady. He's tried to be less harsh. Rare still is the actual completion of the Labyrinth, however. You still hold that distinction."

"Thirteen hours isn't exactly a long time to finish that, you know," Sarah's voice was starting to echo the whines and protestations of a decade previous.

"My lady, you do know that tomorrow marks ten years exactly since you defeated His Majesty and safely returned your brother to your parents."

"Yes, Didymus, I do," her voice was a whisper as she held the mug of tea closer to her face to sip. Staring semi-dreamily past her friends, she could make out the Castle beyond the Goblin City in the background, and couldn't help her thoughts from floating back to Jareth himself, wondering how he actually was. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs and stop the train of thought, she looked back at her friends.

"Hey guys, I have some more work to finish tonight, say we meet tomorrow, with Hoggle, of course, and celebrate my defeat of the Labyrinth, like we used to?"

"Of course my Lady! We shall tell him when this challenge is over."

"Perfect. How much time to they have?"

"Ten and a half hours."

"They're not going to make it. Have they even made it past the outer wall?"

"No, my Lady."

"Right, well. Tomorrow."

"Of course, my Lady."

"Bye Sawah-fwiend!" Ludo grumbled, happy that Sarah was back.

The Labyrinth shimmered from her view. It was too bad for that couple she thought, but they had made a rash decision about their child. She had done the same, all those years ago, and did come perilously near to failing and losing Toby forever, just by proxy of her being an impetuous and contrary teenager. Arguing with the Goblin King and losing hours didn't help her cause at that time.

"Well, Sar, it looks like you're back for a bit," she whispered to herself. The crystal on her fireplace mantle clouded briefly and cleared, all without her noticing, she'd already turned away from it and headed back into her home office.

Back in his castle, Jareth was loosely draped over his throne, a spattering of crystal orbs floating and showing various things from around the Underground. The pair of runners, a true rarity, were no closer to breaking past the outer ring. The Labyrinth had judged them instantly, and found they should not recover their lost child, and was routing them in circles. The young girl would be better off in the care of the denizens of the underground. A small wave of his hand shifted the crystals around, and one with the rock caller and the knight from the Bog talking to a mirror became the forefront one. He sat up slightly, his eyebrows arched, a hopeful look on his face. Could his Champion have returned after quite an absence?

Moving faster, he flipped to the crystal he'd sent Aboveground for her to find. She may have blocked his magic directly, but he still knew the area she'd lived in, and sure enough, there was his Precious, a cup of tea pulled to her as she sat and spoke with his subjects.

"How you still turn my world, you precious precious thing," he sighed, gazing at the orb longingly.

She would be his queen, oh yes. A decade after her defeat of him and he still pined for her. Her shocking jade eyes had pierced him thoroughly. A frustrated wave and the crystal cleared. He didn't have time to be pining and brooding over her like some lovelorn lost teenager, he had a kingdom to run and unworthy parents to deal with.

Turning his attention back to his runners, he found his mind drifting back to the peach dream he'd given her, and how her weight and form had felt perfect in the few moment he'd had holding her.

"Dammit Jareth!" he hissed at himself, standing and walking to one of the windows.

"Sian!" he bellowed, his voice at its most terrifying.

"Yes, your Majesty," his trusted adviser appeared, as if from nowhere.

"I have some business to attend to after this couple fails at their run. I'll be heading Aboveground for a short time."

"Your Majesty… if I can be blunt… I know she's always been there in your mind, but do you really…"

"She WILL be my queen, Sian. Gods know the rest of the court is getting sick of watching me reject the presented ladies. I will woo her, and I will have her."

"Yes, your Majesty. What shall I tell any courtiers that appear?"  
"That I'm busy," Jareth growled, hitting the wall beside him for emphasis, only hard enough to punctuate his sentence.

Ten years it had been since that slip of a girl had enraptured him, outwitted him, told him that he wouldn't win, and did beat him at his own game. Ten years he'd spent haunted by the memory of her in his arms.

Looking out the window, he sighed. "I would move the stars for you, Sarah, forever."

The remaining hours the runners had left passed quickly, and they did not succeed, as he'd already known would be the case. Tossing an orb in the air, he let it shift him to the Aboveground and quickly took his favoured form of a barn owl.

Soaring through the air, he quickly located her cottage, and landed in a tree just outside her office window, staring into the lit room where she was working. His heart swelled just being this close to her again after so many years thinking about her, wanting her. It would take time and patience, not something he was particularly known for in the court circles, but he would have her, heart and soul.

Sarah's head was bent in close to a computer screen, and he couldn't quite tell what she was working on. Suddenly her head jerked up and peered out the window, as though she knew he was watching her. He watched her shake her head and turn back to the computer. Seeing his opportunity, he took that moment to fly down to the ground, shift back to his normal form, and summon a bouquet. The monstrosity was a testament to his feelings for her: calla lilies (magnificent beauty), pink carnations (that he would never forget her), ivy geraniums (asking her hand for the next time they were able to dance), honeysuckle (generous and devoted affection), blue hyacinths (constancy), maiden blush roses (if she loved him back, she would find out more), fern fronds (sincerity), white clover (think of me), purple hyacinths (I am sorry), and a single four leaf clover (be mine) buried inside. His mother's teaching on the language of flowers had not been lost on him over the years. Setting the flowers down, he summoned to him a card with his owl on the front, as well as his favourite fountain pen. Sharp, swift writing appeared as he rapidly scrawled in the card.

 _My Precious,_

 _I am truly sorry for any anguish I have caused you these last ten years. I would still reorder time, and move the stars for you. If you so choose, meet me in the cafe in your little town, tomorrow._

 _Always,_

 _J._

Nestling the card in to the flowers, he set them on her doorstep, knocked, and returned to the Underground to watch her through the orb in her home.

Sarah looked up from her hi-resolution laptop screen she'd been checking image rendering on. This game was going to be beautiful, they'd put so much work in to the user experience of it. A chill ran the length of her spine, as though she was being watched. Turning to look out the window, she saw nothing out of the ordinary and shook her head, turning back to the screen.

Her eyes were growing weary again, and she sat back rubbing her temples.

"You're just overworking yourself again, silly. That feeling was just because you need to go to bed. You're 95% done with the checks, and everything looks great," she mumbled, pushing her chair back.

Then she heard the orb fall and clink, rolling across the floor again. Walking in to the living room, it was laying next to the vanity again. As she bent to grab it, she heard a knock on her front door and froze. Panic began to set in. It was late… late enough that no one should have been there. Leaving the orb for the time, she walked over and opened the door to a massive bouquet, laying on the step, and a card nestled in.

"Shit," she whispered, picking the flowers up. "Who the hell could these be from? And how could they have gotten them here at this hour?"

Shutting the door, she pulled the card and went to get her lone vase from the kitchen. She'd never really had a use for it, aside from the day she'd moved in, when Irene had brought it over full of her favourite flowers: a bundle of white lilac, mourning brides, phalaeonophis orchids, lavender, and multicolored tulips. Sarah had smiled at that memory, it showed her parents cared for her happiness. Once she'd set the new bundle of flowers in the vase, she found the four leaf clover buried inside and gently rubbed it. She could feel the magic emanating from that one small piece of plant.

A small fear gripped her as she opened the card. His words were something she'd not expected to read, at least not those words themselves. Card still in hand she ran to the vanity.

"Ludo! Didymus! Hoggle! Anyone! Are you there? I need you," her voice was frantic.

"Sarah?" Hoggle's voice was sleep-filled and drowsy. "What's going on?"

"I do say my lady! What is the matter?"

The friends all appeared, the living room of Hoggle's home shimmering in behind them.

"He was here. Who told him you'd spoken to me? I was avoiding you to avoid HIM!" the panic in her voice was enough to snap all of them to full awakeness and awareness. Her eyes were wild with a terror they'd never seen before at being found.

"Jareth was at your home?" Hoggle grumbled, inquisitively.

"He left a bunch of flowers and a note!"

"My Lady, perchance he wants to mend your relationship…"

"I don't HAVE a relationship with that egomaniacal, child-stealing faerie!" Sarah's voice cracked as she broke into a sobbing fit. "Today was ten years. Not tomorrow, not next week… today. I left you all because I was trying to break free from whatever it is that I still felt for him. I wanted my own life for once, not one lived in the shadow of a could-have-been from my youthful stupidity."

Sarah's careful phrasing made it sound like she'd been the Goblin King's betrothed and it had ended poorly.

"My Lady… can you show me the flowers?" Didymus was tentative in his statement, watching the sobbing, ruined woman in front of him.

"Why?"

"Because the Rat probably meant something with every single one in that bouquet," Hoggle grumped matter-of-factly, folding his arms before him, his face stone, hiding the fact that he was torn apart inside at her terror and sadness

"Sure," Sarah sniffed, her voice soft, grabbing the vase.

Didymus's jaw dropped when he saw the arrangement. "Well my Lady, he is definitely sorry, judging from the size and those purple hyacinths… and… he cares for you deeply. My Lady, why exactly are you avoiding his Majesty?"

Sarah set the vase on the end table and flopped in to her chair again, her eyes puffy, her nose slightly plugged from crying. "Because he ruined my life? I should be happy, in a relationship, looking at getting married. And all I can see is that the guys that I've dated don't live up to what he was in that damnable dream, terrifying as he was while I was running."

"I don't know that we can help in this case, my Lady," Didymus's moustache twitched lightly as he tried to come up with the words that would help.

"Sarah, as much as he terrified me back when you ran, he changed after. It can't hurt to try and talk to him once, maybe get past everything and get yourself back?" Hoggle twisted his hands nervously at even having suggested the idea. He knew how deeply Sarah's frustration with herself ran, they'd talked about it without the others around a few times.

"No. I suppose you're right Hoggle. I can't keep running forever, can I? Thanks for being here when I need you… all of you," she murmured. "I suppose I should get to sleep if I'm really going to do this. Good night… and thank you again."

The mirror shimmered back to being just a mirror, and she remembered the orb on the ground. Sighing, she knew her suspicions and jokes of it having been one of his orbs were true. She'd be better off to throw it in the trash, but a glint crossed her eyes. If he showed up, she could at least tell him to buzz off forever to his face.

"Good night to you too… J… Nine am at Liz's cafe, ok?" she said to the orb, setting it back on the pedestal, before heading to her bedroom for some much needed sleep, making sure to tightly shut the door so he couldn't intrude into her private space.

Jareth was sitting on the edge of his bed, frustratedly and nervously juggling crystals, trying to burn off some of the nervous energy he had from even having dared to get so close to her again. The he heard her voice echo from one.

"Nine am aboveground time indeed. Oh my Precious. How you do truly wound me," he chuckled softly to himself.

"Sian!" he called for his adviser again.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"I'll be away morning time in the Aboveground. Send a missive if you urgently need me."

"Yes milord. You know I think this is a fool's folly."

"As much as I value your opinion, you'll forgive my ignoring your advice in this case," Jareth smirked, his mismatched eyes glimmering in a way the other fae hadn't seen in a decade. Maybe this actually was for the better.

"Good night, your Majesty," Sian took his leave, letting Jareth stand there, a self satisfied smirk on his face.

The Goblin King fell in to his bed and fast asleep, happily anticipating the following morning's meeting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2** :

 **Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

 _Author Note: this has not been completely edited at this point, chapter 1 was at the least looked over. Thank you all already for following. I'm a bit humbled and flattered that you haven't popped off and told me I suck in the first few thousand words, which is... a huge deal to me. Please let me know if you find any major grammatical errors and i'll do my best to fix them. Don't expect chapters quite as frequently going forward. I have a lot written out, and I'm still writing... but I need to start editing, and adjusting and typing. Thank you again all of you._

Aboveground, Sarah was fitfully sleeping, tossing and turning, dreams alternating between the peach dream and memories of the Escher room. Every time one would finish, the other would start. Her alarm started chirping at seven thirty and she groggily stumbled from the bed and over to the bathroom to shower.

The last decade had given way to a short angled bob haircut. Anything to erase the long tresses she'd had in the Labyrinth. Now, there was a buzzed undercut on one side that she loved. Strolling back into her room, wrapped in her towel, she started pondering what to wear. It was early spring, so warmer clothes were probably a better bet, but she was second guessing the look.

"Sarah, it's not a date. It's coffee, and apologies. That's it. Stop acting like a dolt," she gruffly told herself, pulling a pair of tight jeans and a cute royal blue sweater out.

Rustling through her undergarments, she sighed. Her normal, non-sexy stuff was all in the wash. All that was left in the drawer was the sexy little things she'd bought hoping the last thirty dates she'd been on would turn into something more.

"Well, it's one of these or nothing," she sighed, pulling out a handful of tiny string thongs. "This isn't a date, he won't even see them anyway," she resolved to herself.

As she started digging for a bra, she smacked herself in the face, sighing even harder. The only one not in the wash pile was a lightly rhinestoned royal blue one. Rolling her eyes at herself, she started dressing. Once she was dressed, she quickly raked a brush through her hair, feeling the light curl to it spring up. Finally, she felt ready to go and see what lay at the end of this new rabbit hole. She'd be damned if she didn't feel like the rabbit, being hunted by a snake though. 

* * *

Jareth had awoken early and spent a short time pacing and thinking in his chambers. Finally at ten minutes to nine, he conjured yet another posy, a single purple hyacinth, a purple tulip (for her elegance), an orange tulip (for their connection), an ivy geranium, and some snowdrops (for hope), before dropping a crystal and appearing outside the little cafe.

His glamour showed a handsome jeans and t-shirt clad blonde man, with a leather jacket on to ward against the early spring chill. The only vestige of his normal look were his permanently mismatched blue eyes. Stepping inside, posy in hand, he waited for Sarah to arrive. The nervousness played out in his actions, as his eyes flitted around the building, looking to see if she was there yet, his hands trembling just a bit. The entire situation had him out of his normal calm collected depths. This was a woman that he had gone out of his way to be at his most terrifying for, specifically to avoid looking the besotted fool he now felt himself to be. 

* * *

Approaching the cafe, Sarah started debating turning back and running away as quickly as she could.

"You're being silly and inane. He wants to apologize. Use this as a chance to fix your own shit, Sarah Williams," she chided herself, as she pulled the door open, only to be face-to-face with a gorgeous man, eyes familiar as her own.

"Sarah… I…" he started, stepping towards her, losing his own words as he caught her eye, and became enthralled by her look alone.

"Hello, J," her voice was soft, almost breathless as she tried to keep her steely resolve.

"Sarah!" Liz, the cafe owner, cheerily called out. "Sit wherever. Want your usual?"

"Yes, thanks! And a... um…" Sarah turned to Jareth stuck as to what to order for him. What did the Goblin King even drink?

"A cup of darjeeling tea with sugar and milk, please. Oh. Do you happen to have any peach pastries?" his voice was exactly the same as Sarah remembered, only now it felt like velvet sliding up her spine instead of inciting terror in her.

"Darjeeling and a peach danish. Got it!"

Sarah lead Jareth to the table in the corner she always sat at.

"I… I brought you these," Jareth said, catching her jade eyes again, gazing deeply. "I'm… Sarah, there are so many things I could say."

"J…" she started before sitting upright and boldly staring him dead in the eyes instead of shyly, as he expected, "Jareth. Didymus told me the flowers last night meant you were sorry… and that you care about me… a lot."

Jareth laughed, his entire body shaking as he set the posy down next to Sarah's hand, not wanting to touch her… not yet, not without his gloves, which were conveniently not at hand, like an idiot had dressed him. In his mind, if he'd have touched her, he'd completely undo himself and his composure.

"He would say it that way, precious," Jareth's words were a whisper on his smiling lips, a thoughtful look in his eye at the mention of the fox knight he'd trusted for most of his adult life. Didymus had stood by his side in many a skirmish while protecting the goblin lands, and had well earned his retirement, even if he did spend part of it telling secrets that shouldn't be replied to.

Liz walked up right as he called her the nickname he'd come up with for his champion, and smirked a little. She'd known Sarah since she'd moved in to the town and never seen her so enraptured by a guy or heard any of them call her a nickname before.

"Here you two go! So who's this handsome beast, Sar?"

"Um… this is… J…" Sarah fumbled through attempting to introduce Jareth to the closest thing to a friend she had in the town, her nerves showing through for the first time.

"Jareth," the Goblin King extended his hand to shake Liz's. "A high school friend of Sarah's. I was an exchange student from Gloucester, England years ago. We're just getting back in to contact. It's been entirely too long."

The ease at which he'd slipped in to the situation set Sarah's head a whirl, as though he'd been ready for anyone questioning them.

"It's a pleasure. Hopefully we'll see more of you. There's a dearth of handsome men in this town," Liz laughed, walking away.

"J…" Sarah hissed.

"Say my name again."

"What? Why?"

"Because it sounds like pure heaven when you do so, Precious."

"Firstly. Stop calling me that, I'm not your precious. Secondly, Jareth, I'm not here…"

"Sarah," he sipped his tea, smirking at her. "Your coffee is getting cold. So you asked about the flowers. Didymus was right. I am truly sorry, for everything, you need to understand the position you put me in that evening, and I do care… very much… about you. My champion, you stole my breath the very first moment I saw you. Then you came to my realm, a mistake on your part with your brother, and it took everything I had to not try to keep you and return him alone. I would move the stars for you and you alone, my dear girl."

Sarah sighed, slumping back in to the seat, realizing that she wanted this to be the one thing she had sworn to herself, told herself this wasn't.

"Fuck," she whispered to herself. "Williams you idiot."

"What, Sarah?"

"This IS a date."

Jareth looked at her a bit confused, "It's not if you don't want it to be, I'm hardly in a position to force it any direction"

"You're purposefully avoiding touching my hand. You brought flowers. And apologies. We're having coffee..." her eyes flitted down to his hand, laying perilously close to her own on the table.

"Sarah… don't defy me…"

Sarah stared at him, slowly reaching for and grasping his hand. The shock of her willingly reaching out to him, and the feel of her hand on his was too much and he stared at her unable to move, his breath caught in his chest a bit.

"Finish your tea, Jareth. It's getting cold," she smirked feeling the warmth and emotion rolling off the Goblin King. The shocked look on his face at her brazen action was enough to make her smile gently. "I suppose this CAN be a date. Fancy a stroll when we're done?"

"Where to?"

"My cottage, eventually" Sarah smiled, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially. "I'll tell you a secret… I've got a better stash of tea at my house than Liz has here." A mischievous glint crossed her face as she whispered near to him.

"Well then," Jareth smirked back at her, picking up the danish and taking a bite. "I suppose we shall try this 'date' thing as you call it, precious."

They ate and talked a bit, Jareth telling her all her friends had been up to in the last few years while she'd been gone. Liz pulled Sarah aside and tried not to take money to cover the first date she'd seen the girl on in quite a while, nearly since Sarah had moved to the sleepy little town. Sarah shoved a twenty in Liz's hand, walked over, grabbed the posy, and Jareth's hand, and lead him out the door.

Their fingers twined around one another as Sarah relaxed just a bit and leaned towards his body while telling Jareth all about the tiny town she'd moved to, pointing out her favourite spots to sit and watch people, even in the bitter New England winters. The meander to her single story cottage was brisk, but beautiful, the early spring chill still hanging in the air. Sarah unlocked the door, lead Jareth in, then scurried and recovered the vanity.

"Just in case. I'd like to talk to you without intrusion," she smiled shyly. "Those three don't necessarily have the best timing in the world."

Jareth's trademark smirk crossed his face as he pulled her towards him. A twilight remembrance of their dance crossed both their faces and he continued pulling her closer by her waist, he looking down at her, their eyes catching again.

"How you do turn my world, you precious, beautiful thing," he whispered huskily, leaning in to her, pressing his mouth against hers.

Sarah's eyes fluttered shut as the kiss lingered. Her arms twined around his neck the longer they held the kiss, his hands resting gently on her hips. When they finally broke apart, her vision was a bit hazy and his gorgeous smirk was back on his face. The glamour had faded a bit, and Sarah was face to face with her memory of what the Goblin King looked like. The breath caught in her throat as she gazed into his eyes. There was a mild hurt behind the gaze, but a blissful look mixed with it.

"Jareth… I…"

"Sarah, my precious… you are the one thing I have been missing. You… dammit," he turned his face from her, frustrated with himself and the fact that this woman was completely undoing him.

"I… I think I care about you too…" she whispered, leaning back into him, kissing his cheek. "It's why I ran… it's why I kept running. So… uh... About that tea I promised."

Jareth stood shocked for a moment. He'd never imagined hearing those words from his champion's mouth. He turned to see a coy, shy look in her eye, before he pulled her back to her, his fingers twining into her hair, kissing her soundly again. The two of them drank in the kiss as though it was the very air they needed to breathe. Jareth scooped her off her feet, carrying her to the sofa before lowering the two of them to it.

When they finally split, Sarah smiled and laughed a bit. "This wasn't supposed to be a date!"

Her laughter proved to be contagious, and Jareth wrapped her in an intense hug, enveloping her completely, his body rumbling as he laughed along with her. Finally, she pushed against him, standing up, and looking him dead in the face.

"I guess… make yourself comfortable? Did you want another cup of tea? I have wine and beer too.. I… I guess I have damn near no idea about what to even offer you," she smoothed her sweater and tossed her hair a bit to straighten it, still unendingly thankful for the short crop.

"How about this… whatever you're having, I'll have," his voice rumbled out in his infectious timbre.

"I can do that," a soft smile crossed her face as she walked into the kitchen to turn the kettle on.

Jareth slid the jacket he was wearing off, and looked around the small, cozy home Sarah had made for herself. Photos of her and Toby growing up littered the walls and shelves. A single, large picture of her father and stepmother with the children was hanging on the wall. A few, well done sketches of Ludo, Didymus and Hoggle hung with the family pictures. Noticeably absent was Sarah's actual mother. The little cottage had a beautiful fireplace, and Sarah had some wood stacked next to it, giving Jareth a brilliant idea.

"Precious," he called.

Sarah poked her head around the corner from the kitchen. "Need something?"

"When was the chimney last inspected and cleaned?"

"September. I use it all winter long. Are you cold? I can turn the actual heat up…"

"Not cold, but I do appreciate sitting by a fire while talking. Do you mind?"

"Matches are on the mantle. I'll be out in a minute with the tea. Cream and sugar?"

"Please, I'll start a fire for us."

The whistling of the kettle stopped the discussion in its tracks and they went on their separate tasks. Sarah came walking back into the living room just as Jareth sank into the couch, admiring his pyrrhic success.

"Maybe this not-a-date is just what you needed, champion-mine," he murmured, smiling at her. "Perchance it is what we both needed."

Sarah passed him his mug, sighing. "Maybe what I needed was to stop running sooner. I… the very idea of you terrified me. They all said you weren't as terrifying as you'd made yourself out to be. I couldn't believe it."

Jareth smirked that smirk of his and Sarah couldn't help but lean in and steal a kiss from him.

"I can be terrifying, especially when my temper is involved, however, it seems that now, suddenly, I might be irresistible," he chuckled.

"Electric is more like it. How's the tea?"

"You were right. It is well better than the one at the cafe."

Sarah smiled and leaned back against the arm of the couch opposite Jareth. "I love Liz like a sister, but she has zero clue about how to treat tea. So, what have you been up to the last ten years, since terrifying a young girl."

"The usual really. Running the kingdom, dealing with wishers-away, brooding over the champion that ran and won."

Sarah turned away a bit to hide her blush from him. Sipping her tea, she stayed turned slightly away. She could feel Jareth shifting closer to her, placing his left hand on her thigh.

"Sarah, I never said you weren't right to run. I think that, in your place, I may have done a similar thing. So, now, tell me what it is that you have done with yourself through the years."

Sarah was shocked that he was interested in her life. "Oh. I graduated from school, went to university, became an art director for a video game company, which is what I was working on last night when you were watching me."

"You knew," Jareth chuckled.

"I suspected. It felt like someone or something was watching me. I didn't know it was you until you confessed just now. I've won some awards on previous projects, which is why I'm the lead director for the current project. The company had recruited me when I was in university, so I finished my degree while i was working my first couple of things." Sarah looked him in the face again, "but none of it really matters when you're hiding at home, avoiding a magical king."

"You could have just given in to me, loved me."

Sarah stared at Jareth incredulously as though he'd suggested she move to Mars. "I don't really think you know me as well as you think you do Jareth. Falling in love was never part of the plan. Besides. I was fifteen. I wasn't ready for falling in love. Hell I was barely ready for the things my head did try to process."

He leaned in tipping her chin up, looking her in the eye. "And you think I'm any more accepting of the last decade's pining, Precious? You're not exactly an easy woman to forget." Leaning back in to her, he caught her lips with his, pulling her closer to him,.

The sheer desire started overcoming the two of them, and Sarah started turning her body more towards Jareth. He responded by shifting his weight forward and scooping her into his lap, straddling him. His hands ran up her sides, sliding her sweater out of the way, his velvety fingertips running up along her soft skin. A quiet sigh escaped Sarah's mouth as her hands twined in to Jareth's hair gently tugging.

Their eyes were hazy when they reopened them and they were both smiling slightly. Leaning her forehead against his, Sarah gently kissed Jareth again, contemplating. They were sitting enjoying the closeness and learning one another when a muffled call came from the vanity.

"Uh… Sarah?" the tone of the voice betrayed Hoggle to Sarah and Jareth.

Sarah jerked upright and climbed out of Jareth's lap, grabbing his hand and pulling him off the couch. She quickly shoved him towards the bedroom, a mildly annoyed look on her face.

"Stay in there and stay quiet, please," she whispered kissing him quickly again before walking to the vanity and pulling the sheet off of it.

"Hi Hoggle. Sorry I was worried you would shimmer in while I was gone. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. Didymus asked me to check on you, since we hadn't heard back from you yet. Is everything OK? Did that rascal treat you ok? No one has heard hide nor hair of him since he left this morning"

Sarah smiled, knowing Jareth could hear everything that was being said. "He was a perfect gentleman. Showed up with flowers again, and everything. I know, I know, it sounds TOTALLY out of character for him. But it really was a lovely time Hoggle. I promise I'll tell you all about what that rat did later, when we're all celebrating," she chuckled. "I've got some work I need to do… can you let the others know I have to postpone until tomorrow?"

"Sure Sarah. Have a good day. And don't let that rat get to you. He don't deserve you… no matter how nice he might have been today."

"Thanks Hoggle. I'm glad someone's looking out for my well being, especially with him involved," she smirked, throwing an additional barb in for good measure. Couldn't have him knowing how much she really did appreciate their time together

The connection closed and Sarah threw the blanket back over the vanity. She tread lightly back to her bedroom and let the door swing back open when she tapped it, not having closed it all the way. Jareth had kicked his shoes off and was sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard.

"So, tell this rat what old Hoggle had to say."

"He wanted to check on me, you trouble maker. Apparently, there was concern you weren't going to treat me right."

"Oh, I haven't even begun to treat you, precious," a spark flared in Jareth's eye as he smirked, standing and crossing to her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3** :

 **Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

 _Author Note: Lemons below. This has not been completely edited at this point, but it was looked over. Thank you all already for following. I'm a bit humbled and flattered that you haven't popped off and told me I suck in the first few thousand words, which is... a huge deal to me. Please let me know if you find any major grammatical errors and i'll do my best to fix them. Thank you again all of you._

"And what could you mean by that?" A teasing lilt filled Sarah's voice as her eyes twinkled mischievously. This wasn't at all how she'd expected the day to go… but she certainly wasn't disappointed in it. Something about seeing him in person again, after the last ten years of running and barely looking back was intoxicating, more so than any drink she'd ever found.

Bending his head down to her, his hand came up to catch the back of her neck as he soundly kissed her, stealing her breath away for the third time that day. Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands roved down and slid back up the back of her sweater. They pulled away from one another briefly and she found herself reaching for the bottom of his t-shirt, pulling it up and over his head, her breath catching in her throat as his pale skin shimmered in the little bit of sunlight streaming into the room.

Jareth smirked against her mouth as he leaned back in to her, his very bare nails scraping along her hip bones, just under her sweater but above her jeans. Slowly, he began kissing down her jaw to her neck, her gasp was audible as he lightly bit, her hands roving to his arms and her nails pressing in as she arched at the combination of pleasure and slight pain caused by the bite.

Grabbing her hips, Jareth lead her back towards the bed as he sat on the edge, leaving her standing just in front of her. Given he was considerably taller than her five and a half foot tall frame at six foot four, she was the perfect height to stare him directly in the eyes as he sat. The kisses deepened as they started learning each other's bodies, hands roaming constantly.

Jareth's fingers played up Sarah's back, slipping underneath the sweater further as he kissed back up her neck, feathering each one lightly. Sarah let her hands trail down his arms slightly as she leaned into him more. Breathlessly, she caught his lips with hers as she pulled her hands off his arms and started sliding the sweater up her body. Noticing what Sarah was doing, Jareth quickly pulled the sweater off of her and it fell, discarded on the ground. Standing, he wrapped his hands under her thighs to support her as he turned around and laid her back along the bed.

Gazing down at her, his trademark smirk crossed his face. She was beyond beautiful to him, even more so right at that moment, because they were burning so passionately for one another.

"Are you ok continuing, my precious, or should we stop and go for a walk?"

Sarah's voice was already husky with the desire flooding her. "Oh no you don't. I thought we were stopping running," her voice faltered as she said the last bit.  
Smiling broader, Jareth leaned down and whispered "good" against her lips, before slipping her bra straps down her shoulders a bit. His hands were moving like a laser targeted system as he slipped them beneath her, all while kissing down her shoulders to the slightly exposed portions of her breasts. A soft moan escaped Sarah as he continued kissing, slipping the now unfastened rhinestone covered satin off her body.

She moved slightly to cover her now exposed breasts, out of instinct to not leave them out for the world to see. It had been at least a year since the last time Sarah had taken a lover, and none had been as courteous as Jareth was already being. As she moved to cover herself, he pinned her hands above her head with one of his hands while using the other to caress down her side.

As Jareth dipped his head to take one of her already turgid nipples in his mouth, Sarah arched her back moaning more, and louder. She could feel him smile slightly at the satisfaction of her enthusiastic responses to his touch as he butterfly kissed from one side to the other, his left hand releasing hers and sliding down to join the right one at her hips.

Sarah's eyes fluttered open briefly and she looked down her body in disbelief. She'd had vivid dreams like this, starring Jareth, but she'd thought avoiding them would make them go away. Instead, it was making them come true. Feeling her hands freed, she grasped at the comforter in them, arching and moaning again under Jareth's attentive ministrations.

The simple self satisfaction of seeing Sarah completely undone and blissful was driving him to keep going, to keep pushing the bounds of where they'd already come to. His fingers feathered along the top edge of her jeans as he kissed and nipped at her flat stomach. Finally, he popped the button on her jeans and looked up at her.

"Sarah, precious, this goes no further than you want," his voice was a purr, nearly begging to be allowed to continue, but making sure that she knew she could stop it at any time.

"Dear gods, don't you dare stop Jareth. Not now," her voice was breathy, needy.

His toothy smirk crossed his face again and he swiftly lifted her hips and slid her jeans down her body until the sparkly thong she'd grabbed that morning was the only thing on her body.

"Not a date, eh," he chuckled, his thin fingers toying with the ridiculously small straps.

"It was one of the only clean pairs! I need to do laundry," Sarah cried, the tone of "it's not fair!" creeping in to her voice.

Jareth chuckled. The gentle familiarity between them was everything he'd hoped for the last decade. He'd known their relationship wouldn't have been like this when he'd first met her, at least not for a few years, if the Escher room had ended differently. And yet, here he finally was, and now was his chance to show her how much he did truly care about her.

Slowly, gently, Jareth kissed down Sarah's stomach and over to her left hip, only to follow the edges of her miniscule panties. Whimpered begging escaped her breathlessly as his kisses trailed to her thigh and hip joints and down onto her thighs. He gently spread her legs slightly more apart and stopped for a second to look at the beauty before him. Sarah's most intimate parts were barely encased in a wrapper of sheer midnight blue, one of his favourite colors, as if she had chosen this pair specifically so he COULD see it.

Gently he kissed over and nipped the fabric remaining on her body. His breath played across her already sensitive area and Sarah gasped, arching again. Smiling slyly, he slid up slightly and grabbed the top of the panties with his teeth, pulling downward, using his hands to push her legs together just enough to slide the fabric off her.

Looking back at her, he stopped again, briefly, gasping at her beauty before starting to kiss back up her right thigh. Sarah writhed under his gentle touch as he kissed over and started paying a concerted effort to her sensitive flesh. Sarah gasped audibly, wrenching the comforter and using it to pull herself back away from Jareth. He had already guessed she would do something of the sort, and had locked his arms around the backs of her thighs.

Peeking up just a bit, he crooned "Oh no precious. You won't escape this."

"Dammit Jareth," she moaned again.

"Mmm I do like how you sound right now, he murmured, leaning back in to pay very close attention to her already ridiculously sensitive nub. Sarah whimpered more under his careful ministrations, long thin fingers toying with her and heightening the pleasure. As she grew closer to her first orgasm, she tried to pull away again and writhing underneath him.

"Oh shit. Shit shit shit. Right…" Sarah was breathlessly panting out anything she could.

"Just relax. I promise. I won't let you fall… too far," Jareth stopped briefly to whisper up her body.

The soft purr of his voice set her over the edge. Her orgasm crashed through her and she found herself screaming his name as it did so, .

Once she had started to come down from the high, Jareth looked up and rose to lean over her, smiling next to her face before lightly kissing her neck.

"Oh precious. You really do set out to turn my world, don't you."

"Ha. That was… and I'm willing to bet there's more where that came from," she grinned at him, leaning forward and catching him in a deep kiss, still tasting herself on his lips.

While she was kissing him, her hands started sinking lower and fumbling with the jeans Jareth was still wearing. Breaking the kiss, she pushed on his chest to roll him on his back before nipping at his neck and fighting with the jeans more.

"You're enjoying watching me struggle!" her voice pitched up, returning to the 'it's not fair!' tone.

"And what if I am, Ms. Williams, what if I am?" he retorted, his voice cool, but his eyes sparking.

"Dammit Jareth," she growled again, finally pulling the button out of the hole. She quickly pulled his pants from his hips, exposing a pair of midnight blue silk boxer briefs that were rather taut at the front. "Mm looks like someone is having fun."

"Oh precious, you have no idea," Jareth cheshire grinned at her, leaning his head back on his hands.

Sarah straddled him, running her nails down the inside of his wrists, the bits of her longer hair falling down in front of her face. Her eyes were filled with a passionate spark that he'd seen as determination and drive in her teenage years.

"Good," she whispered huskily sliding down his body, grabbing the edges of his boxers and slipping them down his hips.

Sarah's breath briefly caught in her throat as she managed to get the last stitch of clothing between the two of them off. Gently she ran a single nail up the underside of his cock, watching it twitch briefly in anticipation of further attention. She licked her lips and gently wrapped a hand around its length, not able to fully cover it.

Jareth sucked in a brisk breath, and it was Sarah's turn to smirk.

"I'm sorry. Was that unexpected?" she snarked as she lowered her head to envelop as much of him in her mouth as she could.

Jareth leaned back further and raised himself to his elbows to watch the raven haired beauty that was very apparently enjoying herself while pleasuring him. Sarah poured her enthusiasm and deep appreciation of performing orally on a lover into the current liaison, looking up coyly, her jade eyes catching Jareth's mismatched blue as she slid her mouth back down on his member and purred around it, her eyes going slightly hazy as she did so.

Jareth's eyes rolled back as a single word escaped his lips: "fuck."

That single utterance drove Sarah to push the envelope more with Jareth, trying to take him almost to the point of no return. He lay back again and twined his fingers in the hair on the one side of her head. The low purr of her voicebox as she purposefully rumbled while bobbing on his manhood almost was his undoing.

"Sarah. Sarah stop. Holy hell, stop," he pushed back away as much as he could while she came up for air.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Too much?" her voice was coy and seductive.

"Precious, unless you want things to end for a bit here and now, I'll safely say yes."

Sarah smirked and crawled up Jareth's body. "What I want is you in me… now," she whispered.

A flash of sheer desire crossed his face at hearing her ask him to take her. Grabbing her by the hips, he rolled Sarah back on to her back, and pressed inside her in one swift motion. Sarah cried out in pleasure, arching against him as Jareth pressed deeper in to her. Each time he plunged further in, she was edging ever closer to a second mind-crashing orgasm.

"Oh fuck," Sarah gasped before he pressed in even deeper, leaning to kiss her. She was coming undone at the edges of her mind, her nails digging into his arms and her vision going fuzzy.

"Cum for me, Sarah. Now," he hissed, begging and demanding simultaneously that she give her all in that exact moment.

Hearing Jareth's demanded request, her body convulsed and her eyes rolled back as she reached her climax again. Her nails were digging even further in, drawing blood, as she reached for something to grip. The sensation of her pussy throbbing around him paired with the slight bit of pain from her nails breaking skin proved to be too much for Jareth and he released his own orgasm into Sarah, spurting for what felt like forever. Finally he rolled off her, picking her up in a bridal carry, before turning the sheets down with one hand, and laying her in the bed.

Lying down next to her, they nestled in to the cozy sheets, Sarah laying against Jareth's chest, lightly trailing her fingers along the other side of it. A contented sigh escaped her lips and Jareth kissed the top of her head.

"I supposed that was an appropriate hello I'm sorry I've missed you," he chuckled, his chest rumbling and reverberating under Sarah's head.

"Mm yes. I suppose it's a hello," she breathed out. "Could we maybe take a little nap? That was… well… I haven't had anything like this in a… well ever. I don't think any of my past lovers were as conscientious, even in throes of deep passion."

"Your other lovers also weren't a King of the Underground, precious. Now, just relax, nap, rest," his voice was light and soothing, as his fingers gently rubbed circles on her arm.

They laid in the bed, drowsing, and eventually falling asleep, twined in each other's arms, relaxed and happy. The hours passed as they blissfully slept away the early afternoon.

Sarah's eyes flitted open and she looked around seeing Jareth's sleeping form laying under her. It hadn't been a dream, as much as she'd subconsciously hoped.

"Shit. I guess running isn't something that's entirely feasible again," she mumbled to herself.

"If you want to leave that much, I won't stop you, precious. But my offer of a decade ago still stands. Fear me, Love me, do as I say and I will be your slave," Jareth murmured into her hair, his eyes still closed.

"Jareth, how about we start with just being friends, maybe some romance?" She purred out, laying on her side more and draping a leg over his. "I can't exactly run now, can I? It's just a bit too late. No one in their right mind would give you up."

"Sarah, you are more than welcome to walk away. While I would be hurt, devastatingly hurt, and saddened a great deal, I would not give chase knowing it was your choice. I would likely sit, and wait, and if you never returned, find someone eventually, but they would not be you, my Precious," his fingers gently played with her hair.

Nestling closer to him, she smiled a quiet smile. "I think maybe I'd like to give this a try, at least for a little while. I'm not exactly sure what we'll learn, or where this is going to go, but I'd like to try."

Jareth leaned further in to the pillows under him, wrapping his right arm around her, to envelop her further into his embrace. "That is something I've waited a decade to hear, or part of what I've waited a decade to hear Precious," his toothy grin spread broadly across his face as he finally opened his eyes and looked down at her.

They lay cuddled together for a while longer, until Sarah could hear Didymus calling from the mirror. Sighing, she kissed Jareth lightly and climbed out of the bed, pulling her longer silk housecoat on, before padding in to the living room.

"You're welcome to come out whenever, Jareth. No sense in hiding you or this from them any longer."

"Do you want to talk to them alone? I can just head back to the castle. I have work I can do, and you can join me later, with just a wish."

"No. Don't go, not yet. I… I'll go with you when you do, even if it's just for tonight," her voice was unsteady at the idea of returning to the Underground.

Breezing in to the living room, she pulled the tablecloth off the vanity again.

"Hi Didymus," her voice was velvety and happy, happier than she'd sounded in a while. She sank to sit on the edge of the couch, beaming at the fox.

"My Lady! You look…"

"Sorry… I was… in bed," she laughed a little.

"But my Lady, it is still…" Didymus trailed off as a jeans clad, but shirtless, Jareth padded out of the bedroom, and slid onto the couch, behind where Sarah was sitting, enveloping her in his arms posessively.

"I'm sorry my Lady! Did I interrupt?"

Sarah Laughed. "No Didymus, we were just napping, and talking."

Jareth protectively pulled Sarah a bit closer to him. "If by talking you mean I was trying to convince you to be my Queen, then yes. Talking."

"Well my Lady! If you are happy, then we are happy for you! It is the evening hour that we'd discussed celebrating the defeat of the Labyrinth at."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Jareth crooned out, conjuring a crystal. "Sir Didymus, have Hogwart and the rock caller meet us at the castle, in the informal throne room," he said, throwing the crystal up as Sarah tried to contest. "Not now, love."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4** :

 **Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

 _Author Note: Thank you all already for following. I'm a bit humbled and flattered that you haven't popped off and told me I suck in the first few thousand words, which is... a huge deal to me. Thank you again, all of you._

 _Also, I'd like to say a HUGE AMAZING GIGANTIC WONDERFUL thank you to my editor: beepallesen. You are amazing and have already figured out my brain in ways I don't think other people do._

The crystal fell, and they were standing in Jareth's bedroom. Looking around, Sarah was amazed at the furniture- an intricately carved wood canopy bed was the focal point of the room and beautiful walnut and silver dressers flanked the outside walls.

"Jareth… I'm still in my bathrobe, which is actually why I was going to stop you."

"Mmm, but what if it was part of my nefarious plot to whisk you away and keep you all to myself?" he smirked, pulling her 's not, don't you worry. But you forget that here my magic is stronger and I can give you limited access as the Champion of my Labyrinth. Just think of what you want to wear," he instructed.

Jareth released her from his embrace and tossed an orb towards her. Barely catching it in both hands, she was suddenly dressed in an oversized sweater and leggings. A wave of his hand and Jareth was back in his standard breeches and a loose shirt.

"That's really cool," Sarah whispered, passing him the orb back. "So where are we going to have this visit you decided I had to be here for instead of just using the mirror?"

"The throne room I use for the wishaways," he said, pausing to gesture towards himself before walking out the door behind her. "Come on then, love."

Sarah struggled to keep up with him, his long strides covering twice the distance of her shorter ones. She followed him through the halls, turning corners here and there.

"I don't remember all of these halls…" she thought aloud, looking around herself in confusion.

"While there is someone running the Labyrinth, the castle blocks them from being able to access my personal spaces. The only people who can access them are myself, my guests, or my… staff. Damn it!" he stopped, running a hand through his wild hair."

"What? What's wrong Jareth?"

"My adviser is going to have my hide for not forewarning him I was bringing you back with me. Not that I spent much time thinking about my plan…"

"I… maybe I should just go home," Sarah said, her voice hushed, gently touching his hand. "I don't want to cause you trouble."

Jareth laughed. "Sian is all bark and no bite, love, you'll be no real trouble."

"Until I do bite," a voice echoed from a nearby doorway. "Jareth, you're three hours late, you have meetings with..."

"Cancel them." Jareth snapped, scarcely sparing any attention for the man speaking.

"You can't just cancel meetings at a whim, your Majesty," the man responded dryly.

Jareth whirled on his adviser, the terrifying visage Sarah remembered vividly from her run coming out in full force. Overcome with terror at the sight, she spun and blindly ran, trying to figure out a way back home, to get away from the anger she'd been frightened of for a decade.

"Dammit Sian," Jareth spat. "I am TRYING to fix my past fuckup. I love Sarah…" Jareth slammed a hand into the wall, cracking the stone as the red-headed fae walked past him. "I can't lose her…"

"And I'll go fix mine. I should have known to cancel the meetings when you went took off to see her," the cold response came.

Jareth turned to stalk after Sarah, a dark, melancholy look on his face.

"Sarah… Sarah… I'm sorry. I … I lost my temper," Jareth called, his voice echoing down the hall as he stopped, leaning against the wall near his bedroom, his eyes wet. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her after so long, not like this.

Sarah, having managed to find her way back to Jareth's room, railed at herself. "You absolute idiot!" She muttered. "You believed that he'd changed. You absolute utter moron," emotion overtook her and she fell to her knees, choking back a sob.

Jareth straightened back up and pulled an orb to seeher. When he looked, she was on the floor near his bed, sobbing. Slowly he pulled open the door, a pained look in his eyes.

"Sarah…" the sorrow was in his voice as much as his face.

"I want to go home Jareth," her voice was hitching as she looked up, her eyes still dewy with the tears she had been fighting.

He crossed the room, stopping just beside her. "I shouldn't have lost my temper. I'm sorry.. I just… I wanted things to be perfect and everything you wanted, especially with you coming back finally...I…" He set a crystal orb on the floor next to her and turned away, walking to a window so she wouldn't see the pain etched in his features.. "This will take you wherever you wish to go," he said quietly.

Sarah heard the pain in his voice though she couldn't see it on his face and pulled herself up off the floor. . Timidly, she stepped towards him, taking his hand.

"You really mean it?" she whispered, stepping closer. "I didn't think you would let me go just like that." He stood, gripping the window sill and refusing to meet her eye. Sarah closed the distance between them quietly, bringing her hand to rest on his elbow. "I'm sorry too. I overreacted based on… well, based on what happened a long time ago. I understand that things are different now. I'm sorry."

Jareth finally turned and, looking deeply into Sarah's eyes, brought his hand up to cup her cheek. "Sarah, my precious, I wouldn't consciously hurt you. Well… not unless you asked," he smirked, leaning down. "But you have not, and I will never keep you here if you do not want to be here."

He kissed her deeply and forcefully, putting all of the things he wanted to say but couldn't into the kiss. She felt so right in his arms and he never wanted to let her go, but he'd sworn it would be her choice and not his demand that would give her over to him. He was not going to back down from his word even if he was only beholden to himself.

"Jareth," Sarah pulled back a bit, "It's ok. I… I shouldn't have run. I need to learn to deal with you at some point, don't I? Can… can we go find my friends now?"

"Precious, we can do whatever you want. Stay, go, it is your choice, my love."

Jareth twined his fingers in Sarah's, squeezing lightly and bringing her hands up to kiss her fingertips before they set off down the hall together.

"You know, this castle really could use a Queen's touch, precious…" he trailed off, side-eyeing her flirtatiously.

"I think a proposal is a bit presumptuous, your Majesty," the sharp retort escaped Sarah before she could think.

Jareth stopped dead, pulling Sarah to a stop as well before slowly backing her against a wall. He leaned down, tipping her chin up for a kiss and stealing her breath away.

"There isn't anything I haven't seen at this point, Sarah. Why shouldn't I tell you exactly how I feel?" he spoke quietly into her ear, his lips brushing against her and making her shiver while his thumb gently danced across her jaw.

"You're serious," she said, her face clearly communicating her belief that he was insane.

"When it comes to you, precious, I am always serious."

"I won't say yes," she said, holding up a hand to stop the retort on his lips. "but I won't say no either. I'll agree to see where this goes, just as I did previously," she answered, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck and moving to kiss him deeply. "Especially if it gets me another set of those mind blowing orgasms," a wicked smile crossed her face, followed by a telling blush

Jareth blushed lightly at her unexpected brashness. "That," he chuckled, "is something I can always make happen."

Stepping back a bit, he took her hand in his again, guiding her through the veritable maze of corridors until they spit out into the throneroom with the firepit. Ambrosius was lying in a corner, while Didymus, Ludo, and Hoggle sat talking amongst themselves.

"Hi guys!" Sarah squealed from Jareth's side, nearly vibrating with excitement at seeing her friends.

"Sawah! Sawah fwiend!" Ludo bellowed, coming over to scoop the girl up in his warm arms.

Sarah felt Jareth tense behind her and she reassuringly squeezed his hand before letting go and allowing the gentle giant to give her a loving squeeze before setting her back down.

"So… Sarah… are… are you back for a while?" Hoggle said, eyes darting between her and Jareth.

"I'll be in and out for a while, I think," she smiled at him. "At least for a bit."

"Ah, yes," Jareth said, clearing his throat. "Well precious, I'll leave you and your friends to celebrate yourf defeating my Labyrinth," he stepped back, a solemn look on his face. His reluctance to actually leave telling her clearly that, though he wanted to be near her, he did not want to intrude on her time with her friends.

"Stay with me?" she whispered,extending a hand to him..

"As you wish, love. Are you certain? Do you not want time alone with your friends?"

"Not without you, no. I would rather keep you close, at least for a while."

Jareth led Sarah across the room and sat lithely draped across the throne as he was wont to do, pulling her down to snuggle on his lap. Hoggle's jaw dropped slightly as Sarah nestled in to Jareth's embrace.

"Hogbrain… Hoggle," Jareth spoke, softening his tone as he did so. "It's not polite to stare."

"Well.. uh.." Hoggle stammered, unable to get a thought out.

"Your Majesty, what Master Hoggle is trying to say is that you are acting very familiar with our Champion, and he is concerned for her well being, as am I." Sir Didymus graciously stepped in front of the befuddled dwarf to question the king.

Jareth laughed a wry, throaty laugh that reminded Sarah of when she was running the Labyrinth and had made a comment he found amusing. His arms closed tighter around her waist.

"They think I'm being too familiar, love…" he spoke against her hair, his eyes never leaving the brave knight,

"Guys… it's ok. We're, well, we're seeing where this might go. Nothing serious, and I can't really stay too long. I mean, I need to finish up on my work for that game. Deadline is next month and I have a bit more to check."

A murmur of acquiescence rounded the three, and the group spent a couple of hours talking- mostly listening on Jareth's part- and catching up.

After a long while, Sarah yawned and leaned back against Jareth. "Could you send me home?"

"Love, I can but I don't know that I want to," he whispered, low enough so she was the only one that could hear him, before brushing his lips against her temple.

"I have to work Jareth," she said, shivering.

"You can take a weekend to yourself, Sarah. Stay for me?"  
She sighed, knowing she'd lost that battle already, and refusing to acknowledge that he was turning her own words against her. "Fine, but you so owe me."

"Name your price, precious," he whispered against the sensitive skin below her jaw.

"Sleeping in your arms sounds like a divine start," she yawned out.

"Alright everyone, Sarah's damn near asleep on me. Time to go, you can visit more tomorrow, or next week, or whenever she's back. Maybe you can show her around more now that she's not up against a timer," he flashed a sincere grin at Sarah's friends.

"Why, thank you, your Majesty," Didymus immediately replied with wide eyes, while climbing on Ambrosius' saddle.

"What'd you go and do that for?" Hoggle crabbed at Didymus as Ludo stood smiling.

"Bye Sawah fwiend!"

The room quickly cleared leaving Jareth and Sarah lounging alone on the throne.

"Well my darling girl, shall we retire or do you wish to sleep here?"

"I'm surprised that was even a question with that divine looking bed?"

Jareth cracked an even broader smile, standing and scooping her up. His long strides quickly covered the distance to the bedroom and she held on tightly, nestling in to his warm chest, her eyes drifting closed.

Sian stood in the hallway, arms folded, giving Jareth a serious look. "Jareth," he hissed, his mouth opening to continue before Jareth shook his head to stop him.

"Let me get Sarah settled at least, Sian. I know it's bad when you use my name."

"This really can not wait," Sian insisted.

"What is it then, walk and talk," Jareth snapped back, arms lifting slightly to point out the woman resting in his arms.

"Your sister is here."

Jareth nearly choked. "What on earth could she want?"

"She was worried about you."

Jareth sighed. "Come on then, update me further while I put this lovely being in my bed."

As they traversed the rest of the way to Jareth's chambers, Sian filled him in on exactly why his sister had chosen this of all times to show up. They walked in to his room and there she was, sitting in a chair by the fireplace.

"Aislinn," Jareth acknowledged reluctantly.

"Jareth, it was abominably rude of you to cancel our meeting with no notice," Aislinn said, not looking up from the book in her lap. "I have important events to discuss with you, and court business."

"I thought you were here to discuss mother, and not the courts. Did you mislead my advisor?" the annoyance seeped into his voice as he continued towards his bed with Sarah.

"I am your High Queen, Goblin King. I will discuss what I please," Aislinn snapped back.."

"The fact that you married the High King does not change our familial relationship, sister-mine. Now, what of mother?"

"She refuses to stay at our palace any longer, not while you're unmarried. Says it's unbecoming that there isn't a lady of the castle. I told her you were fine…" Aislinn finally looked up at her brother and, seeing the woman slumbering in his arms, trailed off mid sentence.

"And yet," Jareth drawled, "Titania shall insist on what she insists. Tell her… ask her to give me six months. I am hopeful the beauty fast slumbering in my bed will agree to stay. Eventually."

"That is your champion, isn't it?" Aislinn asked. "I'd heard tell she was pretty and so unlike our family," the female that was damn near identical to him mused, admiring the dark-haired beauty before her. "I suppose I can try to hold her off. You know she'll want to meet her the moment she hears that there is a woman gracing your bed."

Jareth sighed and watched his beautiful Sarah as she slept. "I think that should wait until she decides. No sense in riling Titania's fanatical obsession with bespelling mortals to her bidding until we know whether my champion is going to remain mortal."

Aislin stared at him, aghast that he would say something so unflattering about their mother.

"Surely she wouldn't!" she gasped.

Jareth lowered himself into the seat across from his younger sister. "Aislinn, she is literally known for that Aboveground. There are poems and stories alike. Go above and see Siobhan, she'll tell you all the delightful things Mother did to Lennon back when they first met and married before he accepted her offer of being one of ours. Damn sleeping draughts every time she visited them. You were already married to Richard and didn't have time to pay attention to the insane things she was doing."

The High Queen stared at her older brother, aghast. "Mother always said Siobhan just wanted her space."

"Damn right she did. Just tell her I have a prospect. I'm just being triply sure- I don't want another Aoife."

"I'll try Jareth, just… maybe don't keep her here that often, if that is the case?"

"Sarah goes where Sarah wishes," Jareth snapped. "She has friends here. I will not make her unhappy just to avoid mother. Now go and give Richard and the children my love."

"I will, brother dear. But do keep me in the loop, and remember- you owe me." His fair sister created an orb, just as he so often did, and phased out of the room.

Sian looked at him. "Six months? Isn't that very little time?"

"I only need her to agree to marry me and become one of us by then, not have her married and expecting. It will, at the least, calm mother's insanity. The woman drives her eldest child away, sabotages my first engagement, barges in on Aislinn's marriage and refuses to leave, and wonders why all of her children avoid her."

"And how is Siobhan?" Sian asked.

"She was well when last we talked. Time is so odd for her in the Aboveground- she threw a vase at me when I suggested her brood take the north wing here," Jareth sighed, turning his attention back to the woman sleeping in his bed. "I just don't want anything to hurt Sarah Including me."

"Good night, Jareth," Sian said, walking out the door while Jareth looked at Sarah. "What have you done?" the adviser murmured to himself as he left, wondering at his King's decisions.

Jareth unknowingly echoed his adviser as he sat, staring at his bed, his chin resting on one hand, the other flicking an orb back and forth around his knuckles as he muttered to nobody but the empty air. "What have I done, my precious one? What have I done?"

Standing slowly, he walked to the bed, slid his boots off, and climbed in to wrap himself around the woman for whom he would move all of the stars in the heavens, hoping to find the sweet embrace of sleep. After an hour of listening to Sarah's easy breath and relishing the way she felt pulled against him, he too drowsed in a happy state.

As they slept their dreams twined, hers full of awards for game art and his of their future together, both Above and Underground. The dreams wove themselves together, Jareth standing next to her beaming in pride as she accepted her award before flickering to her wearing dress she'd designed on her own, and then to the two of them sharing a private moment. Dawn broke and Sarah awoke to find Jareth clinging to her, a peaceful look on his face. She rolled onto her side to admire him better but the movement jostled him awake.

"Sorry for waking you," her voice was still husky with sleep and a fetching blush crept up her neck and cheeks at being caught out.

"It's fine love. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah. Was there a woman here last night? I remember a voice, but I was so tired."

"That was my sister Aislinn, High Queen of the Realms."

Sarah gasped, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. "And you let me sleep through her being here?!"

"We needed to discuss our mother," he said soothingly. "It was no cause for concern, precious."

"No cause for concern until it is, Jareth," a voice echoed darkly from the armchair. "You should run now, girl, while you have the chance. Jareth, you know she'll show up as soon as Aislinn gives her your demand for space."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5** :

 **Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

 _Author Note: Sorry this has taken so long, with family stuff going on and everything being crazy including some fun tech issues, it's taken a bit to get this chapter going. I'd like to say a_ _nother huge thank you to my editor for putting up with my crazy: beepallesen._

"Siobhan, she's not nearly as involved in my life as she was yours. I still think she did that because you rejected Aster," Jareth said as he sat up, shaking his head. He gestured toward the woman before him and turned to Sarah. "Sarah, may I introduce my twin sister, Siobhan? Though we are twins, she is the elder and won't ever let me forget it" he said, a twinkle in his eye.

"Twin?" Sarah sputtered, her eyes growing a bit wide. The fact that Jareth had siblings, let alone a twin sister, was absolutely baffling to her.

"So THIS is the infamous mortal champion, Siobhan said, not unkindly. "Mother will hate her. Welcome to the family Sarah."

"I didn't accept his-" Sarah began, but Jareth's twin sister stopped her with a quirked eyebrow.

"You will."

"I can't honestly say-" Sarah started to protest.

Jareth sighed. "Siobhan can. She's a seer. I wasn't expecting the start of a damned family reunion the first time I brought you back here, and I certainly was not expecting her meddling," he threw an orb at the woman who looked so much like himself that it was as if he looked in a mirror. A decidedly feminine mirror, but a mirror nonetheless.. She stopped the orb with a waving gesture and gently dropped it on the bed before it faded back into the magic of the Underground, reabsorbing into the ether.

"Really, Sarah. It'd be easier on everyone if you'd just say yes now. Titania wouldn't poison you if you were already betrothed. At least I don't think she would. She's changed the last few years, and not for the better." Siobhan shook her head as though she was trying to clear it.

"Jareth," Sarah said softly, reaching for him.

"Yes precious?" he asked, wrapping his arms tenderly around her and resting his chin on top of her head.

"Your family is fucked up."

Jareth and Siobhan both chuckled. "I find that I cannot argue with that astute observation, precious one."

"Well, good luck lovebirds," Siobhan said, grinning. "Like I said, run. Or don't. You love him, so why belabor things?" Siobhan's grin became a cheeky smirk as she popped out.

Jareth launched a vase against the wall and Sarah jumped at the crash. His face was a mask of annoyance at the intrusions his sisters had already imparted on his time with Sarah, especially since it was still bordering on being fleeting.

"Umm… should I go, Jareth?" Sarah whispered, her voice still trembling from the startle of the vase shattering on the wall.

"Titania be damned," Jareth spit, pulling Sarah closer to him, wrapping her securely in his arms, needing her closeness to reassure himself that she was something tangible that he could reach out and touch. "She still thinks that, despite my years and position, she can overrun me. Now that my sister has shown up and so thoroughly spoiled our day already, shall we have some breakfast and tour the Labyrinth gardens?"

"I…" Sarah trailed off, searching his face. "I guess. What did Siobhan mean when she said, 'if you were already betrothed.'? How would that change anything?"

"The faerie stories from Shakespeare and his lot, you know that they mention her by name." Sarah nodded. "Well, my mother has a penchant for gifting mortals with sleeping draughts and other such potions, just like the great bard described. She is certainly nowhere near innocence, even for our kind."

"Hmm, she sounds like someone else I know," a tone of teasing annoyance crept in to Sarah's voice.

"I couldn't very well just let you win, Precious. Besides, in the time I have been the Goblin King, you are the ONLY one I've ever given a bespelled item to. Most aren't cunning enough to even make it through the query doors. Or if they are, the Labyrinth has judged them unworthy and they don't escape an oubliette or other less-savory traps," his voice was soft as he nestled his face in to her hair. "She, however, does it for fun- in some sick, twisted sense of the word. In complete honesty, I do not know why she's been allowed to get away with it for as many years as she has."

Sarah sighed as she settled comfortably into his arms again. " So, how long can we delay breakfast?" she asked, a wicked smile crossing her face as she turned and found herself straddling his lap. She reached up to touch his face, to cup his cheek, before she leaned in to initiate another soul-burning kiss.

"As long as you wish, my love," he murmured against her lips, hands roaming up and down her back, over her shoulders and down to cup her backside. "As long as you wish," he said again, rolling to lay her on her back beneath him before swallowing her reply with a sound kiss of his own.

Her fingernails scraped teasingly along his chest as she pulled his shirt over his head, smirking and marveling at how deliciously tempting he looked. His impatience won out, no longer feeling like he needed to slowly unwrap the gift beneath him and with a snap, both of their garments disappeared in an instant.

"Jareth!" she shrieked, laughing after. The sheer audacity of his impatience was intoxicating, pushing her further and further down the road of accepting just what he was offering.

"Sorry love. I am not adept at patience, you know," he growled in to her neck, nipping at her.

Sarah arched against him. "Fuck. If this is impatient, I'm in," her voice was already breathy as his hand dipped lower, teasing her lightly.

Jareth continued his teasing as he trailed butterfly kisses down her body to her already taut nipples, teasing them more, smiling wickedly all the time. Sarah could feel everything building up within her as she squirmed under his careful touch. As the first wave of her orgasm crashed over her, she gasped his name out and clawed at his shoulders. Her eyes fluttered closed briefly, a soft moan escaping her.

"Mmm, precious. How I do love hearing my name on those lovely lips," he rumbled sliding back up her body and sheathing himself inside her.

Sarah gasped again and wrapped her legs around Jareth's, hooking her feet over the backs of his thighs, her eyes flying open again at the sensation as he drove in and out of her.

"Fuck," he hissed against her neck. "Why on earth do you feel so good?" he purred in to her ear, breathless and enthralled.

Wrapping her arms around his neck and looking in to his eyes coyly as he moved within her, Sarah smiled. "Probably for the same reason you do," her voice was husky with the intensity of their passion.

Jareth pulled her closer to him as he knelt on the bed, sliding her towards the edge without pulling himself from her wetness. The extra leverage gave him the ability to plunge faster and deeper, causing Sarah to arch, screaming her pleasure again, as her eyes rolled back.

"Oh gods Jareth. Fuck, please. Fuck me…" she panted, writhing underneath him, needing to be closer, needing to feel him deeper.

"Just a little bit longer, love," Jareth bit out, his voice rasping and full of need and desire. His eyes focused on her face, jade eyes glassy with passion, coming back down from her last high. Her eyes catching his as she focused them again was the final undoing of him and as she climaxed she carried him right along with her.

Finally collapsing on the bed next to her, she laughed just a little bit, flopping her arms above her head, a broad and very sated smile on her face.

"What is it, Precious?"

"Just thinking, my Goblin King," she teased.

He rolled, leaning on his side with his head propped up on one arm, to face her before lightly kissing her again. "Thank you, mistress of obviousness. I hadn't deduced that in the slightest. What about?"

"Your offer. Would you really be my slave?"

"Precious, I would be eternally devoted to you and would happily do your bidding. With no questions and no reservations whatsoever," his forehead leaned against her temple. "Marry me."

"Would you give all of this up for me?" She asked, looking at him seriously.  
"In a heartbeat. I would give up my whole life in less than a heartbeat, if you only asked."

"Am I going to be allowed to keep my job Aboveground?"

"I will make you a deal. You can finish this project and we'll discuss you taking another before the wedding. I won't say you have to leave the job as you seem very much to enjoy it, just that I would like to talk it over before you take another one. And so on and so forth for any subsequent jobs. Mostly just to keep me in the loop, and we would need to address the fact that you would have duties here as Queen."

"When do you want an answer by?" Sarah asked.

"Now, love. I'm growing impatient. I've waited a decade for you to come to your senses you know."

"I…" she trailed off when he ran the backs of his fingers gently over her jaw and brought a finger up to touch her lips.

"I'm offering you your dreams, no strings attached, love," his voice carried a hard edge of frustration at repeating himself, though he tried to keep his tone neutral..

"I expect a better proposal than this," she gazed at him, not thinking he would have the drive to really propose to her so soon after such strenuous activity.

"Fine," Jareth waved his hand impatiently and she was dressed in a beautiful silver ball gown, he in one of his formal outfits, and they stood in the ballroom from her peach dream. He held her hands gently in his and lowered himself to one knee before her.

"Sarah, my most precious thing, please do me the honor of being my Queen," he proffered a beautiful aquamarine and jade ring.

"You absolute ass," she started, her voice drawn and unsure. "I… I mean, I guess yes. No strings attached this time? Truly no strings attached? No fearing you, no being beholden to doing what you say?"  
"Well," Jareth smiled before purring up to her. "Maybe one string. All you have to do is love me forever."  
Sarah smiled then, her face gentle as she took Jareth's hand and pulled him up to stand in front of her. "I don't think that's really a catch, since I intended to love you forever anyways." She positively beamed at him and as far as he was concerned, she could outshine a thousand stars.

He kissed her then with a kiss so fierce that it could melt suns, all the passion and care that had been pent up for the last decade finding its way out. Nothing could have prepared Sarah for just how much emotion could come through in one little kiss- her knees buckled slightly and Jareth caught her by the waist, one arm wound tight around her, the other gently cupping her cheek.

"You know you'll have to meet Dad and Karen. And not terrify Toby. Hopefully he doesn't remember…" her voice was soft, and she let the end of her sentence trail.

"Ahm, well." Jareth coughed uncomfortably. "That is a complication I wasn't expecting."

"Easter is in a week-ish. I'll check that it's ok to bring you. Just, no earth-shattering kisses? No talk of the way you've ravished me. They're Catholic, It'll mess with their delicate sensibilities hearing that I might just be having sex. Just polite, nice, normal behaviour, okay?"

"And asking to bring a new suitor won't alarm your parents? Or do you routinely invite your gentlemen callers to family events?" Jareth snarked playfully back at her.

"They'll be thrilled I'm bringing someone home. Moreso that you're a guy… they were starting to worry," Sarah laughed, letting herself relax in Jareth's arms again.

"So we won't tell them of our betrothal then?"

"Jareth… it's been TWO DAYS we've even been exploring this, let alone engaged. No. We won't. Maybe this summer? Even then, Dad will complain it's too soon. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how we're going to deal with, you know, all of that."

"Sarah," Jareth said, holding her face steadily between his hands. "Were the decision mine, we would be walking down an aisle immediately."

"That would be disastrous Jareth, and you know it," a voice echoed from the corner of the room.

"Aislinn, so lovely you came back to visit again. How did your talk with mother go?" Jareth released Sarah and turned to face his sister.

The blonde woman stepped out from a darker corner, staring her older brother down, arms folded before her and a scowl plastered across her face.

"You have your six months. I look forward to your nuptials. Midsummer would be quite lovely as the rose gardens would be in bloom. I'm sorry, I've been rude to my soon-to-be sister," her voice was ice, so the opposite of Jareth's which had become like warm honey to Sarah. "Sarah, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Aislinn, High Queen of the Fey. Both courts answer to my husband and I."

"Your Majesty," Sarah gaped at her, trying to sort how to deal with this new information before closing her mouth with a snap.

"Has my brother offered the world to you?" the beautiful, cold, frightening woman asked in a toneless voice.

"Not the world, just himself, wholly," Sarah squeezed Jareth's hand nervously. The woman before them was ridiculously imposing, even more so than she had found Jareth when she was running the Labyrinth.

"Hmm. That's even worse than I thought. I'd take his offer, and very soon, even if only for your own safety. Mother will get impatient. If you thought he was bad, wait until you meet Titania," the High Queen smirked dropping an orb and disappearing without another word.

"Yeah, I was right, your family is definitely fucked up. So, dinner, my parents, Easter. Normal," Sarah said, slipping the sparkling engagement ring onto her finger.

"There is one other thing," Jareth said softly. "It is not so much a string as a sort of safety net. When we marry, you will need to make a decision whether you will stay human or drink a draught to become one of us." his voice was soft as he spoke into her hair, kissing her on top of the head, not wanting to see the horror that was sure to be on her face at the idea of giving up her humanity.

Sarah, as ever, surprised him. "Maybe I can make the change after our Aboveground wedding. Is it noticeable?" She asked, seeming more to be thinking out loud than anything else.

Jareth chuckled in relief. "Not unless you have seers or mediums in that family."

"If there are, I'm not aware of them. So what does it do?"

"You'd really be better off asking Lennon about it, love. I've not ever had the opportunity to drink one. Beauty of being born a fae, I suppose" Jareth drawled, a mischievous glint sparkling in his eyes.

"I guess we'll burn that bridge when we come to it," she kissed him, sighing, a little unsure about the idea of becoming one of his people.

Enveloping her in his arms, Jareth whispered, "No burning anything, my love. Now are you happy with the proposal? It seemed like it would be something you would like."

"You know you have to do this Aboveground again, in like six months, right? But yes. I appreciate you putting the effort in."

Jareth groaned. "Unfortunately, I was hoping that wasn't going to be the case, but at least I know now. Do you want me to sing to you again when I ask, as I did in that delightful dream?" He mused as the instrumental to the song he had sung during the peach dream started up as he lead her across the dance floor.

Sarah laughed as she looked up, held tightly in his arms. "No, just something small, just enough and perhaps in front of others. Hell, go traditional, ask dad's permission, he'd lose it. But if we don't, we'll have the psychosis of Karen not being involved in wedding planning. We'd never hear the end of it. As much as I'd love to just claim we'd eloped…" Sarah's voice was wistful.

"It is your choice, Sarah-mine," Jareth smiled at her. "As much as I want to stay here like this all day, unfortunately, I do have responsibilities I cannot get away from today. Did you want to stay, or would you like to go back to your home?"

"I can work at home while you deal with whatever it is here you need to."

Jareth nodded and dropped an orb to send her home as he stepped in to the formal throne room from the ballroom.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Sarah stumbled a bit as her feet hit the ground in her own kitchen, standing there in a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater.

"What in the hell did you just do Williams?" she sighed to herself, looking at her left hand and the larger aquamarine surrounded by small green jade stones in a flower configuration.

Her quiet reverie was shattered by the chirruping of her cell phone going off.

"Shit," she exclaimed as she ran for her office and grabbed it.

"Williams here."

"Hey, Sar, it's Rex. How are the renders looking?"

"Pretty good actually. I'm really impressed. The guys have done a great job."

"So are we all ready to release to beta?"

"Art is, I think. So if the rest of the code is in play, then yeah, I guess so."

"Awesome! A week ahead of schedule."

"Yeah," Sarah got a little quiet. "So… if art's done early…"

"Your team has totally earned a bonus girl! They'll be well taken care of! You guys knocked this out of the park. You in for the next big project? Obvs, we've got some final art to deal with, but gotta look forward."

"I… I don't know. I just reunited with a… friend from high school. We're seeing where things go… but… he's international and I don't want to take away from the time we could have together, ya know?"

Sarah blinked back the tears at the fib she was telling. Technically, the Underground WAS international, just not in the way Rex understood.

"Dude! That's awesome Williams! The guys will be bummed to lose your eye after this, but go get it!" Rex was his ever enthusiastic self as he gushed over her news.

"Thanks, and.. I'm not necessarily out permanently, I just… I need some time to sort things out, ya know?"

"Sar, you totally deserve the break, and the great guy. I hope he treats you like the queen he should."

She smiled quietly, looking at the ring on her finger. "Don't worry, he does. Oh, hey. Do you want me to drop the laptop back after I'm done with final sign off?"

"Nah. Keep it. Call it a bonus, I guess."

"Sure. Thanks again for trusting me with this project, Rex. It couldn't have been easy leaving your baby in the hands of someone you barely knew."

"Pfft. Sarah, you were literally the perfect person to leave this with…" Sarah could hear a clicking noise on the other end of the phone. "Shit. I gotta go. It's Logan. I'm sure he's calling about the marketing shit. Drinks, next week. I'll call later with a date."

"Bye Rex. We'll talk later," she sighed, setting the phone down after hanging up. "Glad I came home, but… I certainly thought we'd need more time. Oh well."

Tossing the phone in her purse, Sarah headed over to Liz's cafe downtown.

"Hey Sarah! I'll bring you your coffee in a bit, then you owe me the dish!" Liz called out, grinning.

Rolling her eyes, Sarah sat at her normal table as Liz slid her coffee in front of her and sat with her own cup.

"So. Who's that Jareth guy?"

Sarah smiled shyly. "A friend. From high school. Just in visiting, staying about a half an hour away for the time, near where I grew up. Found out I lived over here."

"Aaaaand?"

"We wound up going out last night. After spending the day together," she lifted her cup with her left hand, forgetting the ring on it.

"What is THAT?"

"Oh. Just a celebratory present to myself. There was an antique store we passed and it was in the window. I need to get it resized. But it was just too pretty not to wear."

"Uh huh. I think you and this Mr. Jareth person are more friendly than you're leading on. The stones match your eyes!"

"Liz, really. Yes. we're seeing where it goes, and yes I've known him for a decade, but still! I swear nothing else is afoot! You'd be the first I'd tell," Sarah smiled cheekily.

"OK. OK! So when are you seeing him again?"

"Not sure, he's working right now... " Sarah trailed off, continuing to discuss her fictional date with her friend.

* * *

Jareth sat and poured over documents while he drummed his fingers in an annoyed manner while some courtier blathered about his cows.

"Alcion, you DO know that to not have these issues, you have to lock your gates, correct?"

"What my lord?"

"If you don't lock the gates, the cows will continue to get out and I'll be forced to explain this again. Lock the gates. Problem Solved."

The courtier stared at his king, who had just point blanked a simple solution, nodded and excused himself.

"Sean," Jareth called.

"Yes, sire?"

"Is that it? Please tell me that is it. This is absolutely insane. I'm not here to solve problems that some basic thought skills would solve. I have important things to do, like plan my wedding to my precious…. Or play tiddlywinks with one of my younger brothers. Or watch paint dry"

"Yes, yes it is. Though I think you to be on a fool's…" Sean started as Jareth glared at him. "Yes my Lord. Your appointments are done for the day. Tomorrow however…"

Sean was again cutoff as Jareth summoned an orb. "Good. I'm going to see Sarah. She needs to start thinking about the wedding here. And our future together."

"Jareth you need to give her a few days to process things. She has a life Aboveground you know."

The Goblin King gave his adviser a skeptical look. "She's also in danger if my mother finds out about her. I'll just check on her. Let her know what we need to do. Figure out what we're doing with her family. I'll be back in time for my meetings tomorrow," his voice was cold and matter of fact.

Dropping the orb, he was standing in Sarah's living room, alone.

"Precious?" He called out, putting his glamour on. "Hmm. Must have gone out. I suppose I'll just wait… maybe look around at her bookcases. Bound to be something I could read."

He wandered back into Sarah's bedroom and looked at her single bookcase, reading through the titles until he saw a slim red book. Smiling, he pulled it from the case, and lounged on the couch, stretching his long lean legs out in front of him.

Opening the book, the familiar words leapt off the page at him, the magic of the book and the Labyrinth seeping from the pages. A small crooked grin crossed his face as he settled into the story he knew oh so well… their story.

* * *

Sarah finished a second cup of coffee while telling Liz all about the 'intriguing' man as Liz had called Jareth. When she looked at her watch, Sarah murmured a soft "shit".

"I gotta go Liz. I need to call dad and see if I can bring J to Easter with me."

"Go! And for god's sake girl, don't run off without telling us?"

"So I'm not allowed to elope?" Sarah smirked, throwing her jacket over her shoulders. She had paid a while before, while they had continued to gossip.

"No!" Liz exclaimed as she lightly smacked her arm. If Sarah did take off after this mystery man, she would miss her.

"Fine, have a good night Liz," she called over her shoulder while she dashed out the door.

Once Sarah was out in the open fresh air, she pulled her phone out and called her father's house number.

"Williams residence!" a cheeky preteen voice chirped into the phone.

"Hey Tobes! It's Sarah. Are Dad or your mom around?"

"Mom is! Hey are you coming next weekend for Easter?"

"That's why I'm calling. I'll be there, no questions kiddo. But I gotta ask Dad and your mom something."

"Awesome!" Toby squealed in delight and pulled the phone away from his mouth to yell. "Hey mom! Sarah's on the phone!"

"Sarah dear! Such a treat for you to call. How's work."

"Hi Irene. Everything's fine. But um… I know it's kinda last minute… could I maybe bring someone with me next weekend?"

"Someone Sarah?"

"Yeah… his name is J… Jareth. I've known him a while as friends and it's… well… we started dating a couple weeks ago. It's pretty serious. I know it seems like we're moving fast…"

"That's wonderful news Sarah! Of COURSE you can bring him. Is your father going to be OK with him staying?"

"We're going to come up that morning and come home that night. We both have to work the next day, unfortunately."

"Can't you come up Saturday? Your father is here, why don't you discuss it with him?"

"Sure, I guess," Sarah sighed. This wasn't going to go well, her father was still reticent to realize she was an adult.

"Hi Pumpkin."

"Hi Daddy. So… Irene said I could bring a guest next weekend…"

"Sure pumpkin. We love meeting your friends."

"It's not a… friend Dad. It's a guy I'm seeing. And it's pretty serious, which is why I want him to come meet you."

"We only have the one guest room Sarah."

"I'm an adult Dad. We can just get a room in town. Irene was the one that suggested we come up Saturday instead of making the round trip."

"How serious about him are you Sarah?"

"Serious enough that I'm bringing him to meet you. Which if you think about the LAST time I did that, I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't that level of serious."

"Robert! Sarah is 25 years old, almost 26! They're adults!" She could hear Irene yelling at her father in the background and chuckled.

"Irene, what about setting a good example for Toby?"

"Dad, he won't even notice. J and I will be up later and awake before him and you know that."

"Fine Sarah, bring him. You can stay here Saturday night. Love you pumpkin. See you Saturday."

"Bye Dad," she said, as she clicked the phone off and fumbling her keys in to the lock of her house.

As she stepped in she saw a blonde head of hair fluff above the edge of the couch. Sarah tiptoed as quietly as she could and as she rounded the couch, she saw Jareth as he started to clear sleep from his eyes.

"Hello Sarah-mine."

"My dear Goblin King. It's ONLY been 8 hours. You can't have missed me that much," she slid her jacket off and tossed it on a chair before sitting next to him on the edge of the couch.

"Not that I didn't miss you, but no. Unfortunately I am here on business love. We need to pick a wedding date and get our announcements out for both the betrothal and the wedding as soon as possible. We have two dates we can choose from currently, May 1 and June 20 for the Aboveground equivalencies."

"That's not even two months Jareth!"

"I want you safe love. And mine. Forever."

"I was going to call you to me anyway," she laughed, still pondering the two dates he had given her. "Next Saturday and Sunday we have to go to my parents. I'll have to take my ring off. If you want to, ask while we're there. Irene will be thrilled. Dad is going to be fun to deal with any way you dice it. He's not thrilled about us sharing the guest room there. Nor is he thrilled that we're this serious this fast."

"Mmm. I'll have to do everything in my power to be good and prove to him I can be trusted with his precious little girl," Jareth gazed a wicked glare at her.

"Oh you can be trusted with me," she leaned in and kissed him. "As for our Underground wedding… I'm not sure. I… you're the one there. My job is almost done. We released to our beta testers a week early today, after I gave a sign-off on the beta art."

"May 1st is 30 days away. You would have to stay in the Underground the night before, and attendants will help you in the Queen's Chambers. And then there's your coronation. If you choose to drink the draught, you can do that between the ceremonies and reception."

"And we can do our Aboveground ceremony June 20th? Just a small thing. My parents, maybe a couple of people we can trust from the Underground to be your family… your sister Siobhan… And Liz."

"That sounds beautiful love. Or at least the beginnings of a plan. So, now that we've figured out the business side of things… what plans do you have for the evening?"

"A frozen pizza and a bubble bath, honestly. I could use the relaxation."

"Oh my dear girl. No," he smiled as he summoned an orb. Sarah quickly jumped up and ran to lock the door.

"Ok. NOW we can go."

Jareth popped them in to his bedroom before he kissed her soundly. "Love, we will be treated better for dinner here… and we can take a nice, long soak here… together…." a mischievous glint dashed through his eyes.

"Oh you devious, devious man you," her arms came up around his neck as Sean walked in to the room.

"Your Majesty. Lady Champion."

"Ah, Sean! You'll need to prepare the invitations for a Beltane wedding," Jareth looked at his adviser, a serious look on his face.

"Didn't your sister suggest a midsummer wedding?"

"I… we'd prefer to have it sooner," he said softly, his hands held tightly around Sarah's waist.

"Well then. Yes milord. I'll leave you to discuss details. Time?"

"Eleven in the morning?" Sarah said thoughtfully.

"The lady has spoken. Eleven in the morning. And Sean… thank you."

The adviser stopped on the way out of the room very briefly and smiled before he continued on his way. Perhaps this lady was a catalyst for a happy change in Jareth. Less than a month until the wedding was a tight timeline, but Jareth would make it work, Sean knew. They were all playing with fire at this point, but with Titania being as impatient as she had been, moving faster might be the safest bet at this point, for everyone involved.

Sarah and Jareth had a quiet moment with one another, sitting by the fireplace in his room, just holding one another as her mind raced and his was finally becoming more peaceful.

"Jareth…" Sarah had started making up her mind about everything. A decade of her head telling her heart it was wrong had made her heart stronger the instant it had touched the one she had been running from. Her resolve to move forward became increasingly stronger. "Can- Can I drink the potion before the wedding?"

"Love you're betrothed to me, you're welcome to drink it at any time. Why?"

"Explain it to me?"

"One second. I'll get Lennon," his right hand left her hip and summoned an orb, tossing it into the air where it vanished. Shortly after, a red-headed man popped into the room, stumbling.

"Jareth, hasn't Siobhan told you about…" he stopped mid-sentence. "You must be the girl. I'm sorry, I'm Lennon, Siobhan's husband."

Sarah stood up and walked over to him, her hand extended. "Hi, I'm Sarah. Are they all as crazy as what I've seen in the last few days?"

"Have you met Titania yet?"

"No."

"She's worse," Lennon deadpanned. "So, Jareth, you summoned?"

"It was for me. I have questions about the draught…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Lennon stared at Sarah, a shocked look crossing his face as he processed what exactly had been said. She was nothing like he'd have ever expected Jareth to fall for, not in the years of knowing him. On the surface she appeared as rash and impatient as the Goblin King himself. Gods knew that he, and likely Jareth's siblings, had expected him to marry a quiet, acquiescent fae girl, one more like his previously lost fiancee.

"Oh. Well. We should probably sit," he lowered himself in to one of the plush chairs by the fireplace as Sarah sat in the other while Jareth stood, leaning against the back of Sarah's chair, fingers steepled in interest. "It's not the longest story, but comfort and all that. So, the draught resides in what's commonly referred to as the Night's Garden. The sun literally never rises in it. When you drink it, well… what's the best way to put it... it hurts like hell. And it's not a quick hurt. The potion is literally rewriting parts of you, so it takes quite a while, and the entire time it feels like you're on fire and your nerves are being ripped out of you and stretched end to end. I think mine took about three minutes of screaming, agonizing pain. Jareth could probably give a better estimate of time. It honestly felt like forever. It tastes a little like elderflowers, violets, honey and magic when you drink it, so at least the flavor is pleasant. Beyond that, it's not all bad. Humans can't really tell difference looking at us, less so if you actually actively glamour yourself when going Aboveground in the future. It's subtle things. We have a bit more sheen to our skin. We look healthier."

He paused, looking over at Sarah, trying to size her intentions up. "While everything is going on, you can almost feel your cells changing. And the entire time, you can feel the hum of magic surrounding you like a cocoon. That part is at least soothing. The rest of it is exceptionally rough. Does that help at all?"

"Yes. A lot. Jareth… I'm done running. A decade is more than enough. I want to go now."

"Sarah, I'd advise against making a rash decision," Lennon's voice was soft. "There's no way to reverse it if you change your mind."

Sarah laughed, "Lennon, my entire life has been full of rash decisions that have turned out for the best. Including falling for this pompous ass. What's one more? And, you've never met me. If I decide I hate it, I'll figure out a way to reverse it. Even if I actually die in the process. So, now. Jareth. I want to do this, now. In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose. How do we get to this Night's Garden?" There was a determined fire in her eyes Jareth had only seen one other time in his Sarah, the day she had defeated him in his Labyrinth. She wasn't taking no for an answer, even if he tried to dance around it.

"Are you absolutely sure, Sarah?"

"Jareth. I'm terrified and not sure about anything at this point. I'm not sure I want to move forward with any of this because I'm so fucking terrified to simply be here with you to begin with. I guess I feel like this will be the last step forcing me to do what I need to and not try to run and hide again."

"Alright, Precious," he said, transporting the three of them to the Night's Garden.

Moonflowers and night-blooming jasmine flowers were in full bloom all over the room. A pedestal stood in the middle of the room, a beautiful crystal chalice atop. A viscous dark purple liquid filled the chalice. Sarah walked towards it almost dazed, as if her instinct and drive were pulling her towards it. As she picked it up, she looked Jareth directly in the eyes.

"I love you, Jareth, remember that. Well then, it's now or never, bottoms up," she said, a small chuckle in her voice before she tipped the glass and taking a deep drink. Jareth stared at Sarah in shock that she had finally said they very words he'd wanted to hear from her, so utterly nonchalantly, as though she was telling him the sky was blue, and exactly when he was unable to do anything about it.

Lennon leaned into Jareth to whisper while Sarah was drinking. "I can see what Siobhan was saying. She really is the perfect woman for you, she's just as impatient as you are. I can't say I'd have expected that for you"

Jareth smiled quietly as Sarah set the now empty chalice back on the pedestal and collapsed almost instantly. Jareth dove to catch her and only barely managed to catch her before she cracked her head on the stone floors. Sarah started seizing in his arms and he had to fight the drive to hold her close to him while she did so.

"She'll be fine Jareth." Lennon leaned against one of the larger trees in the garden, watching what was going on.

"I am well aware, Lennon. You seem to forget, I was the only one here with you. Because you didn't tell Siobhan you were doing this," his voice was like ice as he held Sarah, watching her fight her way through the painful transformation, wishing there was something he could do to ease it for her.

Her eyes fluttered open briefly and caught Jareth's, her pupils rapidly contracting and expanding before her eyes fluttered shut again and she screamed while the magic of the Underground pulsed through her a few times.

"It's ok, my precious girl. You'll be ok…" Jareth whispered into her hair as Lennon watched. "Just keep focus on my voice and we'll get through this."  
Sarah's transformation was taking well longer than Lennon's short three minute one, the former human observed. He had had the benefit of having prolonged exposure to the magic that was used for the transformation prior to his, where Sarah was really only days in to reexposure to the magic. Jareth continued holding her close as her body thrashed and arched, the magic forcing its way into every cell. Finally the screams and minor tremors stopped and she fluttered her eyes open again, her hand reaching for Jareth's. Looking in to her eyes, you could see the bare edges of magic around her iris, the most outward sign of her new found immortality and magic.

"Fuck. That." were the first words she said as she tried to sit up, Jareth's hand supporting her. "Did anyone get the licence plate of the truck that hit me?"

Jareth wrapped his arm around her shoulders protectively. "How do you really feel, love?"

"Like a bus hit me… but… there's a warm pulsing undertone in my body. This is… wow. Is this how it always is?"

"It can be. I always feel the hum of the Labyrinth and the general magic of the Underground. I would wager that over time, you will too," Jareth kissed her temple.

"I can feel when the winds are going to change, and that started more mildly when I drank this too," Lennon said, standing straight up again. "Every one of us is just slightly difference in what they can feel."

A clinking noise filled the room and a rose colored orb bounced in, rolling up next to a flower bed before disappearing. Siobhan appeared in the room, staring at the three of them as though they were part of some guilty conspiracy and hadn't included her. Her face was a visage of rage as she glared at the seated Jareth.

"Brother-mine, why on earth did you abscond with my husband? We've had conversations about this before," she didn't look around to see where exactly in the Underground she stood at that time, she was too focused on yelling at her twin.

Sarah stood, finally feeling like she wasn't on a tilt-a-whirl. "It was my fault. I…"

Siobhan tilted her head to look at Sarah as the place they were standing finally dawned on her. "You drank it? Hmmm. You are a brash, rapidly adapting woman, it would seem, wouldn't it."

Sarah laughed a bit,"Impulsive. They call it impulsive. It's part of being an artist I suppose. But yes, yes I did. I wanted some information from Lennon before I did. So again, it was my fault Jareth summoned him from wherever he was before"

"Well… Jareth, Sarah, congratulations I suppose. Lennon, the boys are looking for you. Something about frogs? I didn't inquire further, and somehow, I think I'll be glad of that in the end."

"Thank you, both," Sarah said softly, smiling shyly at the married couple.

"Sarah, you make my brother smile in ways I have not seen in many years. You are the one that should be thanked. I don't think Jareth has truly smiled like this since we were actual children and he dumped a pot of snails on Aislinn's head," Siobhan said, taking her husband's hand then dropping an orb to take them home.

The quiet of the room hit quickly, once it was down to just Sarah and Jareth alone. The flowers were sending out their heady perfumes in waves and the thrum of magic was loud in her ears. Reaching out blindly, she caught Jareth's hand, and with just a thought from her, they were back in his rooms. Jareth shook his head and looked at Sarah, unsure why he had even thought she wouldn't pick up on something as simple as moving people and items with a thought almost immediately.

Sean was walking back in as they blinked in, and he was sighing deeply. "Your Majesty, the invitations have been sent. If her Ladyship does not mind, I listed her as Lady Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth."

"Is that how I should be listed? If so, sure, yes, that's perfect," her voice sounded a little different to her, now that she wasn't in a room filled with magic from all sides.

"Jareth… what did you do NOW?" Sean looked at Sarah, all the mental alarms that could go off were.

"This time, I am actually innocent, Sean, contrary to popular belief. Sarah is the one that made the choice. The magic leak should stop by tomorrow, and it'll take her a bit to get the hang of some of it, she's doing damn well with it already though. Quick learner, based simply on the few times she's been teleported around. Now, I'm sure you had actual cause to stop in, and not just to tell us that invitations had been sent," Jareth quirked an eyebrow at his adviser, his voice firm at the interruption.

"Your mother replied immediately. She'll be here in an hour to meet your future bride. She was… less than pleased that you enlisted Aislinn to lie for you, in her words."

"Shit," Sarah said. "Jareth… I should go. I really don't have the mental capacity to be dealing with someone that you yourself has admitted is absolutely utterly insane."

"Titania is no threat to you, Sarah. You are one of us now, and you are my beloved. You have my heart, Precious. And that alone is a magnitude of protection in and of itself. Beyond that, you are already starting to grow your own power inside you, and you're damn good at it. Lennon still can't transport people or himself around, despite having the fundamental knowledge of it, he just doesn't have the power behind himself. Not even with Siobhan sharing some of her's with him. When he said each of us is different, he truly meant it." Jareth took both of Sarah's hands and kissed her knuckles. "You will be Queen here, and there is nothing Titania can do to change my mind, love."

Sean quietly walked out of the room, leaving them to their discussion of the upcoming disaster to be.

"Sarah, you are the most important thing in the world to me. We will need to show Titania a united front, of course, but you alone are a force to be reckoned with. Let me dress you, it will be easier for me to use my magic than to try and guide you through this one, but it certainly won't be your preferred style of clothing."

She shyly smiled. "Why does it seem that saying yes to this seems more intimate than anything I've ever done with you?"

"Because you're placing absolute trust in me to not make you look like a fool."

Sarah tipped her head up, staring directly into Jareth's eyes, and near through to his soul. "Ok. I trust you."  
Jareth smiled at her willingness to let him do this as he blinked an orb in and tossed it in the air. His hands found her upper arms and he kissed her as the magic flowed out of the crystal doing what they needed it to. Both their clothing changed in an instant, Jareth's a less noticeable change than Sarah's, except for the intricate silver crown now sitting on his brow. His clothing had simply added a midnight blue silk doublet and a pair of slops over the top of his tights.

Sarah, however, was a vision. A sage green silk and organza gown that sat just off her shoulders draped beautifully on her. The bodice was clinging exactly as it needed to for the form, and the semi-open sleeves were closed with small silver chains over the open gap at the top. Running along her collarbone was a spiders web of the fine silver chains, leading in to a more sturdy choker necklace running like an armour piece up her neck. She turned to face a mirror and gasped. Her hair was pulled back and curled, pulled more atop her head, and a thin, delicately cut circlet with a large aquamarine in the center was just riding the top of her forehead.

"Jareth… it's…."

"You look no more beautiful than you always do, love. You are to be my Queen, you deserve something fit for that station, especially for a formal court nightmare," he stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I am sorry for anything she may say. My mother has not been known for her interactions with those she perceives below her, and less so with humans. About the only thing I can count on is that one of the throne rooms will be involved in this mess."

Sarah turned and gently kissed Jareth. "You're by my side. I think I can handle her. Let's go deal with this then. You can wear jeans when you come to meet my family, which I think is so so much simpler," she laughed, taking the arm he proffered to her.

Sean walked up as they were heading out of the room to figure out where Titania was going to be. "Your Majesty? Your mother is waiting in the formal throne room."  
"She would," Jareth sighed, exasperated with her behaviour already. "I need you to quickly have the goblins carry one of the formal chairs next to my throne for Sarah. I want to make things very clear to mother. We'll have to get a more formal arrangement for the future, but for now, I want a statement to be made."  
"She brought Aislinn and Richard with her."  
"Lovely," Jareth rolled his eyes as they started walking again to the formal throne room, her hand resting gently atop his, their resolve high as they headed to the expected clash with Titania.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

A ruckus was already starting in the throne room- Titania and Richard were arguing about her insane view that she, and not the Goblin King, should choose Jareth's bride because she believed it was obvious that he didn't know what was good for him. While they fought, Aislinn watched the room, noticed the chair the goblins were bringing in, and smirked, looking strikingly like her elder brother. Richard was going to love the sparks this would cause; he had taken the news rather well about Jareth finally marrying when she'd told him prior to the invites being sent out.

Moments after the chair was brought in, Jareth stepped through the door, his raven-haired beauty on his arm.

"Your Majesties," he bowed as Sarah dropped into an approximation of a curtsey so that she could still see what was happening around her.

"Brother, rise," Richard laughed, and then turned to address Sarah. "My dear lady, you must be the Champion that has won our brother's heart. Welcome to the family."  
"She is not family!" Titania hissed. "She is no more than a worthless human. The ONLY thing she'll be good for is breeding if the fae Jareth marries cannot. He's more than welcome to keep her around for THAT," Titania spat.

Jareth smirked tightly as he crossed the room to his throne, making sure Sarah was settled into the chair next to him and kissing her soundly before settling himself into his own throne. He turned and arched an eyebrow as he leveled his gaze at Titania.

"I've missed you too mother. May I present the Lady Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth, and my intended."

"She is beneath you!" Titania said through clenched teeth. "You are the Goblin King and should be marrying closer to your station. You should be marrying Princess Katrina."

"Lady Titania," Jareth's voice was sharp and cold. "You will not disparage my betrothed in my lands. Despite our friendship, Katrina would be no more than a paper cutout compared to the beautiful and dynamic personality of my beloved. Your refusal to see her truly has blinded you to her obvious magic, and add to that the fact that she has well and truly committed to me. In full view of Lennon, Sarah drank the draught of immortality and has accepted the Underground's power into her. While she will have a split life for a short time as she transitions into her position as my queen and wife, she has freely chosen her life here and will stand by my side. None of your childish tricks will prevent that."  
"Why you insolent-" Titania's rage was written across her face as her eldest son stood up to her for the first time in centuries.

"Stop. Now." Sarah stood, glaring at Jareth's mother, an aura of fury shimmering and rippling off her as the labyrinth's magic made itself known, gold rings pulsing around the jade in her eyes. "You are not queen here. The challenge of the Labyrinth was completed by me as a mortal teenager. I have accepted both this man and an existence that terrifies me as my new life. I have willingly tortured myself to prove just how much I truly love him and want to stay by his side forever. I have had his family pop in, unannounced, repeatedly in the THREE DAYS since I went to simply accept an apology. I am not running and nothing will ever make me leave him. No matter what you want, I fully expect to stand by his side for damn near eternity, and I intend to raise our children to be sweet, benevolent rulers, with or without your permission and acceptance. You have a week to decide if you will behave appropriately at my wedding. If you cannot behave like the lady that you are, do not darken our door. My reckoning will not be pretty if you attempt to stand between me and what I want."

Settling herself back down into her seat, she turned to face the High King and Queen. "Your Majesties. I apologize for that. Thank you. For everything."

Aislinn laughed heartily and leaned on her husband for support, tears coming to her eyes. "Siobhan was right- you really are perfect for our brother."

Titania turned on her son and daughter. "The two of you are going to let this… this… human trollop speak to me like that? Where is your sense of propriety and decorum?"  
Jareth tore his gaze from Sarah to face Titania. "Mother, I do not control my beloved's feelings or words, nor do I desire to do so. She is, in fact, equal to you in rank based not only on her position as my intended, but also as the Champion of the Labyrinth." He held Sarah's hand in his, rubbing his fingers across her knuckles. "Sarah is not one of your bespelled puppets. If you choose to befriend her, she can be your biggest defender and your best friend. I only hope you do not choose to alienate her. What would they say at court about the great Titania, cut off from yet another of her children's lives?"

At Jareth's words, Titania huffed and transported herself from the building without another word. The release of tension in the room at her departure was palpable.

"So, a Beltane wedding? That seems… fast," Aislinn mused, breaking the lingering silence, smiling at her brother.

"If I could convince her, I'd marry her here and now," Jareth said wryly, giving Sarah a sly look.  
"Jareth," Sarah said, warningly but not unkindly. "I'm still adjusting to the chaos of my world turning on its head. A month is fine. Aislinn, Richard, would you care to join us for supper? That was our original plan before, well, this catastrophe."  
"That would be wonderful," Aislinn said, taking her husband's hand before adding, "my dear sister."  
Jareth took Sarah's hand and the group headed to the informal dining room, laughing and talking the entire way. After a few hours observing and enjoying the company, the High King and Queen left and Jareth walked his beloved to his rooms.

"I promised you a bubble bath," he said, pulling her into his arms

"I need to get home Jareth. I… I need to put that life in order to… I need to move here."

"Sarah," her responded gently, "You don't have to do that. You can keep that life if you want. I shouldn't have insisted you not take another project after we marry."

"But Jareth, I should. If we…" she trailed off, biting her lip.

The Goblin King loosened his grip and held her at arm's length. "If we what love?"  
"What if we want children? I can't think that constantly crossing the barriers to the Aboveground would be good for them."

"We can discuss that after the wedding. But if you insist, I won't stop you from moving to the castle. My kingdom and I would be happy to have you."

Sarah nodded, thinking hard about what she was going to do, and the next words that were going to come out of her mouth.

She reached a hand out to touch his face, cupping his cheek as she spoke. "Let's go back to my house, I need to pack up the things I'm going to bring here and make sure everything is all locked up and set for me to be gone a while."

Jareth transported them back to her home with an orb and Sarah used her newly-stirring magic to pack up the things she wanted with her in the Underground. A bulk of the belongings would stay in her home Above, so they would have a little hideaway Aboveground if they felt the need to get away from the trials of rulership. Eventually, most of what she wanted to take with was boxed up and sent to the Queen's chambers of the castle. Once this was done, Sarah picked up her phone and dialed.

"Sarah! What's up? We're out celebrating the game's progress!" Rex cheerfully chirped before she could speak.

"Hi Rex. Hey, I… um… I can't finish the project. J… well.. He's gotta leave town and he proposed and I don't think I want to wait around at home without him. I'm sorry, but I'm going abroad with him. The notes are all on my laptop. I'll swing by the office tomorrow and turn everything in."

"Sarah… are you sure?" Rex's usually carefree tone was low and serious now.

"Honestly Rex, I'm as sure as I've ever been. I'm so far beyond sorry, and I know it isn't fair… Drop me to listing as a consultant on the project, don't list me, it's your discretion."

"Sar, if you're happy with this mystery dude, then we're all happy for you! I'll meet you at the office tomorrow. It's for sure a disappointment, but if it's what's best for you then I totally get it."

"Thanks. I… I needed to hear that. Enjoy your night out, I'll see you tomorrow morning."

On the other side of the phone, Rex hung up and took a deep breath to still himself before breaking the news to the parts of the team he was out with.

Sarah looked at Jareth with a little bit of sadness and a lot of resolve in her eyes . "Well, I guess I'm all ready to go. I need to swing by the office tomorrow and drop the laptop off, but, wow. I guess this is it."

"Love," Jareth said softly, reaching for Sarah's hand to pull her into a tight hug. He pressed his lips against her forehead before resting his forehead on hers."You didn't have to."

"Yeah, I did. I did it for me, but I also did it for us Jareth," she kissed him lightly, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. "I'm still trying to believe any of this is real, to be perfectly honest."

"My love, it is very much so. I don't believe I have ever been happier than I am in this moment," he whispered against her lips before pulling away and playfully tapping the tip of her nose with his pointer finger. "Grab the items you want to take back and let's go home."

Jareth watched her walk to her office, still clad in the beautiful dress. She returned to him quickly, grabbing his waist and wishing them back home while he chuckled at her purposeful movements. Everything shimmered slightly, and they transported seamlessly- she really was taking to magic like a fish to water.

Sarah crossed to the desk Jareth had tucked in a corner and set the laptop on it before looking over at Jareth, her eyes sparkling with love.

"So, Precious, do you still want that bubble bath?" he smirked the tone of his voice suggestive, and took Sarah's hand to lead her in to the grand ensuite bathroom.

"That would be divine," she sighed and there was a brief flash of something in her eyes that he did not like.

"What's wrong, Sarah?" Jareth asked, pulling her against him, her back to his front, and bringing his chin down to rest on her shoulder

She sighed and didn't say anything. Jareth reached around to cup her cheek, spinning her around gently to face him again. "It seems… too easy," Sarah said, biting her lip with worry. " It's like your mother didn't fight enough. Especially after the warnings you all gave me about her."

"Love," Jareth said, smiling his crooked grin at her and turning to draw their bath. "What exactly is there for her to fight with us about? I'm marrying you, whether or not she likes it."

"I… I don't know. Something? Anything? You yourself said she hated Lennon for the mere offense of once being human. Why would I be any different? I don't know that I can go through an eternity of being hated by my husband's mother."

"Say that again love…"

"What? I don't know…"

"No, no. Further in."

"My husband…" Sarah had a puzzled look on her face as she looked up at Jareth.

"Stop. That sounds so absolutely wondrous coming from your lips, Precious," he said, eyes closing to savor the moment.

Sarah turned away, blushing fetchingly as Jareth stepped closer to her, gently running a hand along her jaw and turning her back to face him. Kissing her deeply and not the least bit chastely, he murmured against her lips. "I very much look forward to the day I can call you my wife."

Sarah melted into his arms at that and he kissed her again, his hands raising to remove the chain gorget and choker on her neck and shoulders. Sarah had never thought of Jareth as a patient man, but he was certainly taking his time now. Slowly and methodically, Jareth removed the formalwear from his beloved, gently running his hands down her body as he feathered the silk off her, until she stood bare before him. He ran the backs of his fingers from her collarbones down her arms and back up to her chest, his touch feather light as his hands danced over her breasts and down her ribs. She shivered, desire pooling in her belly and, without breaking eye contact, Sarah gently reached up and began to unbutton his doublet, trailing her fingers over the bare skin that was visible under his now-open collar.

Smiling, Jareth gently kissed her and then led her over to the deep, sunken soaking tub that was nearly overrun by lilac scented bubbles.

"I'd have thought peaches," Sarah mused, a small smirk crossing her lips as she stepped over the low edge of the tub before sinking into the delightfully hot water.

"Peaches, while unarguably delicious, hardly remind me of you. Lilac, however, is vibrant and light like a spring morning while still being strong and unyielding," he responded, quickly divesting himself of what remained of his clothing and sinking into the tub behind Sarah to envelop her in his arms, wishing they could remain that way forever.

His arms were twined around her waist as she leaned back against his chest, a feeling of peaceful safety washing over her. This really wasn't another one of her dreams; the man behind her was very real, very much hers, and very much devoted to her.

"Mmm. You were absolutely right to not let me answer about a bath earlier. I was going to say no and ask to go to sleep, but this is absolutely perfect," she sighed happily, leaning further into his chest.

"Oh, precious, I can make it so so much better," he growled, lips brushing her earlobe.

Jareth's hands danced up her stomach and over her breasts to gently massage her shoulders. She gasped, moaning slightly as his strong hands worked loose knots she hadn't even realized were there. Arching her back, her eyes fluttered closed as his thumbs pressed in hard, working to loosen a knot next to her spine. As Jareth's hands moved lower, he kept working the areas to either side of her spine and sides while gently kissing her neck. As his hands reached around to stroke the sensitive skin of her sides close to her hips, he gently nipped at her collarbone.

Sarah groaned. "Dammit Jareth. This is, oh gods, please," she arched against him, squirming with the need that burned low in her belly as his hands roved teasingly along her thighs.

"Oh, do you like that, my darling vixen?" the sultry purr against her ear sent a delicious shiver down her spine.

"Do you always toy with the ladies you're bedding like this?"

"Oh no, precious thing. This… well, this is saved for one particular woman who managed to captivate me completely," his purr became a growl as he kissed and bit her neck a bit more roughly.

"You'll have to introduce me one day," Sarah snarked back as he bit a little roughly at the juncture of her neck and shoulders. "Fuck. Jareth," she tried turning, but his hands held her tightly, keeping her pressed to him and unable to move.

"Ah," he sighed. "There's the impatience I so love in you… but this isn't about impatience, my sweet. Oh no, this is about indulgence and decadent, luxurious patience." His fingers played along her skin, soft brushes intermingled with bruising pressure.

"Jareth, please. For heaven's sake, please."

Pulling his hands away from her hips, he guided her forward to lean against the edge of the tub, water sloshing up around them. His hands wrapped around the outer edges of her thighs, fingers briefly digging in.

"Please what, precious?" a falsely innocent tone crept into his voice as he teased. His fingers danced over her thighs close to her center, tracing spirals on her skin, brushing closer and closer and then darting away.

"Dammit, Jareth," Sarah groaned. "Just fuck me. Please."

"Not," he kissed the back of her neck and down her spine. "Quite," his fingers brushed up the inside of her left leg. "Yet," he whispered in her ear as he spread her open to him, a finger mercifully rubbing against the sensitive bud hidden within.

"Sarah," he murmured against her ear, his teeth gently scraping the lobe. She gasped as he slipped two long, slender fingers inside of her.. "Mine." With the final whisper, he bit the juncture of her neck and shoulders and moved his fingers inside her, reaching for the ultra-sensitive spots deep within her and twisting slightly.

Sarah wriggled in between his legs, hips rocking against his hand. "Oh gods, yes, please Jareth," she panted..

"Oh my darling," he chuckled deeply against her neck. "Beg me again and perhaps you'll find me in a benevolent mood."  
"Please, please. Dammit, please. Just fuck me Jareth. Use me, please."

She could feel him smile against her as he kissed down her shoulder.

He stopped moving his fingers but kept them in place deep inside her. "That's not begging, precious. That's barely even asking."

"Jareth," she whimpered, "please. Please, I need to feel you inside me. Please fuck me, please."

"Mmm, precious, those are exactly the words I wanted to hear," his voice was soft and just as needful as hers i as he moved her away from his chest and helped her spin around before bringing her forward to straddle him, holding her over him, rubbing himself against her slickness.

As Jareth's hips rocked forward he pulled her down onto his length and Sarah let out a contented sigh as she found herself impaled. She rolled her hips as he was fully buried in her, eliciting a groan from Jareth as he lifted her slightly and slipped partially out of her. There was a wildness in them both as they moved together, a frantic, animalistic need pushing them towards the edge. Neither willing to yield control, both striving to push the other over that final precipice before they went.

"Just give in, Sarah," Jareth cooed in her ear, curving one arm around her body and gripping her ass hard, the fingers of his other hand finding the sensitive nub between her folds and rubbing as he pulled her down sharply onto him..

Sarah clenched around Jareth, hot and wet as she screamed her pleasure, collapsing further against him. Jareth continued pounding into her, every drag making her whimper and moan as he drew closer and closer to his own release.

"Jareth, gods, please. Oh gods." Sarah's voice was growing hoarse and pleading. "Just don't stop. Don't stop, fuck don't stop," she keened out again, clawing at his hair and dropping down hard against him.

Jareth sped up his tempo, sent into a frenzy of need at hearing the need in her voice, moving in and out of her as quickly and sharply as he could while he rapidly approached his own precipice. His mouth claimed hers, dominating her, and Sarah had a third crashing orgasm just as Jareth had slid in deep, her pleasure pulling him along with her. After a few moments of catching his breath, Jareth gasped a little before laughing quietly.

"You, my lovely precious thing, completely undo me," he kissed the valley between her breasts softly, his mouth lingering over her racing heartbeat.

"I think I can quite comfortably say that you do the same for me," she sighed, as he lay back, cradling her against him.

They lingered in the bath for a while longer, relaxing and cleaning one another, not wanting the sweet moment to end, but as the water cooled they realized they needed to climb out. Fluffy towels enveloped both of them and Jareth swept her up into his arms, carrying her to their bed and pulling the towel from her body and throwing both towels to the floor before climbing under the covers.. He pulled her back against his front, arms wrapped securely around her and face was buried in her hair. A contented smile made its way across his face as they drifted to sleep tangled together.

Hours later, when dawn broke, the two still lay tangled in one another's arms. Sian stood in the doorway and cleared his throat loudly to wake them up.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

"Jareth, we need to discuss something, now," Sean's voice was hard.

Jareth slept on, oblivious to his adviser addressing him from the doorway. Sarah stirred a bit at Sean's voice, however, and sat up slightly.

"What do you need, Sean?" sleep still filled her voice as she slowly woke.

"Jareth needs to wake up. There's been a wish-away. He needs to go collect the child and issue the challenge."

Sighing and falling back against the pillow, Sarah gently ran the back of her hand along Jareth's cheek, watching him sleep blissfully.

"Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me…" she whispered next to his ear, a small smirk on her face.

"Those aren't the right words Sarah, and it would be silly of you to…" he started, sitting bolt upright. "There's no way you can be…"

"I'm not, but it was a convenient way to wake you up. Sean was trying to get your attention and you slept right through him nearly yelling at you."

Blinking briefly, Jareth finally felt the pull of the wish-away and stood, swearing about the situation, dressing the same enchanting black armor he'd worn the first time they'd met, the night he'd retrieved Toby from Sarah's care.

Sarah rolled on to her side, gazing at him. "Don't fall for another girl, my King."

"Precious, I doubt I could find another near as witty, temperamental and captivating as you," he leaned into kiss her. "You'll have to go Aboveground without me."

"I think I can handle that," she smiled against his lips, "now, go attend to your business. I'll be back before you even realize I was gone."

Jareth teleported himself Aboveground, leaving a slightly stunned Sean staring at Sarah.

"My Lady, I have never seen him oversleep a wish-away. That is some powerful sorcery you have over him."

Sarah laughed, willing leggings and an oversized t-shirt on before slipping her legs out from under the covers. "I doubt it. He wore himself out last night. How much does it take him to pop in and out of the Aboveground? It didn't seem awful, but he has been doing things like that quite a bit the last week, I'd wager."

"Not much, but you are correct that he has been using his magic quite frequently, and in ways he does not normally do," Sean groused briefly. "Will you need assistance in getting Aboveground? I can arrange for an escort."

Sarah smirked, standing fully. "No thank you. I figured that part out last night. I'll just take the laptop, pop to my house and drive over to the office. Makes me seem more… mundane anymore," she lilted.

"My Lady, I would really feel better if you took an escort of some sort. One of the fey guards would be the most inconspicuous."

Sarah laughed, smiling at the concern. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to turn the laptop in. Maybe have a bit of a sparkling wine or a beer with the guys, and then I'll head right back here. I highly doubt that even I can fuck something that simple up," she pulled her shoes on as she spoke, lacing them quickly. Striding across the room, she grabbed the laptop from the desk and turned, preparing to shift herself back to the Aboveground.

"I'm sure you can, however, My Lady, you ARE the future Goblin Queen. People know that now, the banns have been announced."

"They know that here, Sean. Everyone there thinks that Jareth and I just started dating. They don't know he's proposed, let alone who he actually is, or what the Underground and the Goblin Kingdom are. I'll be FINE."

"Titania can travel just as freely…"

"Sean, I swear on my grandmother's grave, I will be fine. It will just be a quick run." As she finished her statement, she shimmered out of his view and in to her bedroom at the cottage. Quietly, she grabbed her car keys and walked out the front door, locking it behind her again.

"You, my dear, are rather reckless with your own life," a venom-filled voice Sarah recognized said just as she stepped out the door.

"Titania, while I can appreciate your grievance with Jareth's choice of wife, I don't appreciate your methods of attempting to deal with it. He's not here, and quite obviously none of his court is either. Do I have to call for them? I'm more than willing to."

"Petulant brat. I honestly can't even begin to see what my son sees in you. You're a nothing, just a stupid human. I swear my oldest children were dropped when I wasn't caring for them."

"What does he see in me? The fire of the stars. Now… Get. Out. Of. My. Way," Sarah's voice was granite.

Titania drew herself to stand at full height, a full 6 inches taller than Sarah's frame. "Never."

Sarah sighed, a stab-in-the-dark realization dawning on her. "You caused the wish-away. Fucking bitch." Sarah unlocked her car. "I'm setting this down so your insanity doesn't break it, and then we'll play your fucking games," she sighed.

"Fine. Mortal contraptions don't interest me in the slightest. You, however, I'm looking forward to breaking. Maybe I'll send my darling son a lock of your hair to remember you by when I'm done. I honestly don't understand how I could have failed so miserably, to have two of my children pick humans as their pair."

Sarah's door clacked as she pulled the handle open and set the laptop and keys on the seat. "Did you ever once think the fates intervened Titania?"

Titania snorted derisively. "As if the fates would do that to one as devoted as I."

"Point of fact: one of the two, the first to marry in fact, was your seer daughter, and could see that Jareth and I were supposed to be together. So, obviously, they don't see it as a slight despite you seeing it as such," Sarah bluntly grumbled at her.

"You little witch. You honestly think you can get Jareth to marry you and take the throne instead of whomever I choose?"

Sarah laughed brashly. "You honestly think I hunted HIM down? Oh no. Quite the opposite you delusional bitch. HE came to ME. Apologizing. Shy. Using flowers to say everything he didn't think he could verbally, thank you for teaching him something useful there. He came begging my forgiveness for his actions a decade ago."

Titania stammered as she stared at Sarah, caught completely off-guard. Jareth begging for Sarah to see him wasn't part of her thought process, it was all too obvious that the human had summoned him for her purposes and not the other way around.

"You can't imagine that your precious boy could fall in love with a wisher-away, let alone a human. Let me tell you this here and now. I am starting to accept the fact that I do love Jareth. I would move the heavens and earth to protect him. I will not suffer your interference in our lives. You are welcome to be a part of them, and in the lives of any children we might have, if and ONLY if you get it through your deranged, sadistic head that you are to do NOTHING to jeopardize any human whilst I am sitting at Jareth's left. At all. No sleeping draughts, no playfully maiming tricks, no love potions. None of that Midsummer Night's Dream bullshit. Not one iota."

Titania screeched and charged at Sarah as she lay down the laws of their interactions. Sarah stepped back as far as she could, but quickly ran backwards into the side of her car and was stuck. Titania's fingers had narrowed into curled talons as she attempted to catch a grab at Sarah.

"Aislinn, I could desperately use some help here," Sarah muttered as she grabbed Titania's bare wrists as the crazed woman reached for her eyes, trying to claw at them. As Sarah's words left her mouth, Aislinn appeared a few feet from the chaos taking place in Sarah's yard, a bit flustered at being called away from whatever she had been doing.

"Mother!" she yelled, turning to face them at the sound of the banshee style shrieking.

"This whore is lying about the entire thing! She's deceiving Jareth!"

"Uh, no," Sarah spat as she was finally able to turn in such a way that she could lock Titania's arms together in her grasp, away from her face. "I came up here to finish some business while Jareth was dealing with kingdom… stuff. I stepped out of my house, and here she was, ready, waiting and pissed."

Aislinn stared at her mother. "You really have gone daft. Come along then. To the tower with you," she sighed, sending her mother to a secure holding chamber near the top of the eastern tower of her home. "I'm sorry Sarah. You didn't bring a guard? You're not…"

"I didn't want to turn any more heads than necessary. Jareth had a wish-away, so I figured I could just get this done and not have him worry. Great plan on my part, I guess. I just wish I knew why she was so crazed about me in particular."  
"How are you going to get back?"

"I can get myself there. Quick study and all that. It's not quite as fast or good as Jareth's, but it does the job," Sarah flashed his sister a smile.

Aislinn smiled back at her. "Well I'm glad you've started getting the hang of things, even with all the roadblocks you seem to be coming up against. I've got to go deal with mother. I'll expect you and Jareth for dinner later this week?"

"That… could be tight timing. We're actually going to be Aboveground Saturday and Sunday… Jareth needs to meet my parents… and propose again around them. I… need to talk to him. I almost want to rush a wedding up here. May 2nd or sooner. Auspices of him needing to get back to London."

"You are so absolutely adorable Sarah. You have forever. Don't rush."

"I need to start learning exactly what my role is in the Goblin Kingdom… I need to start settling in. And gods forbid we want children. I don't think my parents would let me live it down if I was pregnant Aboveground without being married up here."

Aislinn laughed, laying a gentle hand on Sarah's arm. "Take your time adjusting to being married, especially to Jareth. He's an adventure to live with. I will see you in a couple of days, the courier will bring the formal invite. We'll have a ball to celebrate the betrothal," her words were a whisper on the wind as she vanished as quickly as she arrived.

Sarah walked over to her car, climbed in and started it, taking off towards the office, thankful she'd parked in the drive and not the garage the last time she'd taken it out. The drive was blissfully short and empty, the benefit of it being the middle of the day. She happily bounced in the door of the office building, badging her way through and stepping in. Rex was sitting in his office, a sad smile on his face.

"So this is it girl? No way we can bribe you to stay?"

"Hi Rex," she smiled back, echoing his sad look. "I'm so so sorry I had to dump this close to the project end. I really am, but yeah. This is it."

"Sarah, you're happy. Happier than I think any of us have seen you since you started as an intern. We're all happy for you. The guys insisted I get this for you," he pulled a bag out from under his desk, three bottles of wine inside it. "Your last paycheck's being processed to direct deposit. So when's the big day?"

"Honestly, we haven't even talked about it. It's a lot to take in, reconnecting, realizing that we don't want to lose one another ever again… and… my parents don't know yet. Well Dad and Irene don't know. Mom likely won't ever know."

"Well, congratulations, and thanks for everything you've done for this project. Hiring you was one of the best decisions we've made since we started this place."  
He stood and shook her hand after she set the laptop and her badge on his desk. She waived as she picked up the generous gift and walked out of the office to her car, not looking back for fear she'd actually start crying. As she started the car, the radio kicked on and one of her favourite David Bowie songs, Absolute Beginners, began playing. A small smile crossed her face as the chorus began playing. _If our love song… could fly over mountains…_

Sarah started singing along as she drove, smiling broadly and belting at the top of her lungs laughing all the way. She was free. Not that she had been terribly tied to the company to begin with, smart investments made her first few years with them had paid off. She had bought the cottage outright and had a decent sized trust fund for herself, set to pay the taxes on the house and any expenses therein with a small part of her paychecks going in, even though the interest would cover the expenses easily.

As she pulled up to the cottage, she opened the garage door and pulled in to it. No sense in leaving the car in the elements, she thought, as she climbed out and closed the garage behind her before walking back into the cottage. She locked all the doors to the house and made sure to pull all the shades down to prevent anyone from looking in more than anything. Looking around, she covered the vanity, double checked the fridge to make sure nothing needed to be thrown out, and then walked over to her bedroom.

Her magic shimmered at the edges of her vision, as she essentially wished herself to the Queen's Chambers in the Castle beyond the Goblin City. She set the bottles of wine down on the vanity in her room before looking around in a minor fit of frustration. She didn't know any appropriate styles of clothing to wear around the castle when she wasn't with Jareth and easily able to wear her Aboveground preferences. Opening the door, she set out to find Jareth's adviser to figure out what she could wear and how she got to the throne room to see Jareth. She walked down the hallways until she found Jareth's study, his adviser behind the desk, scouring over a book.

"I'm back, Sean. I need to go talk to Jareth, but… I… I have no clue what I should wear around here. I'm in so far over my head right now."

The adviser looked up and smiled, "Honestly, my Lady, I didn't even think you would ask. I'd chalked you up as a 'do it my own way' type, and was just going to deal with the aftermath of that as needed. Give me a moment and I'll summon my niece. She's wonderfully talented when it comes to fashion. Cecilie would be a perfect handmaiden for you, at least for the few things you seem to need assistance with."

A few heart beats passed and a girl with fire-red hair walked in. "You called uncle?"

"Cecilie, this is Lady Sarah, his Majesty's betrothed. She needs a handmaid and assistant to help her start her life here, before the wedding. Mostly she needs a guiding hand with whatever questions she has."

"It would be my absolute pleasure Uncle Sean! Lady Sarah, please know, I'm only a thought away. I may not be able to appear at whimsy like some of the more powerful fey, but I do move quickly," the girl exuberantly chirped, beaming a smile at her future queen.

"Thank you. Both of you. I feel like I'm a million miles under water at this point. Cecilie, I need some help with an outfit i can wear in o Jareth's throne room in the middle of the day. And… I need to start thinking about my wedding dress, I suppose. It is just a few weeks away…" Sarah trailed off.

"Well… what about something like what I'm wearing for now?" Cecilie twirled, her simple green column dress flowing around her.

"I… sure? It looks simple and formal enough all at the same time. I just feel like I can't walk in wearing my leggings and oversized t-shirts or sweaters," Sarah sighed, chuckling.

In a new test of what she could do, Sarah grasped at the Labyrinth's magic in her veins and thought about a dress like what Cecilie was wearing, but in a shade of lilac. Somehow, Jareth managed to keep the castle at a comfortable temperature for her to wear shorter sleeves, so she kept a simple cap sleeve on the dress.

"No circlet?" Cecilie observed.

"I should only need one for formal functions… I think?" Sarah looked to Sean for guidance.

"Her Ladyship is correct. It's not necessary for her to always wear a circlet. His Majesty should, but we know how well he likes to keep to that."

"Oh, Cecilie, his Majesty and I will be accepting an invitation from the High King and Queen for three nights from tonight. I'll need a dress please. I'm going to trust you on this," Sarah murmured over her shoulder as she walked out of the room.

"I suppose we're both going to have our hands full with this future Queen. Betrothed for two days and she's already throwing my scheduling off," Sean sighed at his beaming niece as he ran after Sarah.

"Well I like her." Cecilie declared to the now-empty room, before heading off to find the castle's seamstress and see what she could figure out quickly to preserve some of the magic abilities between herself and Sarah.

Sarah walked the halls until she managed to find the blocking that Jareth had told her about. Sean was steps behind her as she stared at the wall, frustrated.

"You only need to tell it your intent to pass, my Lady, and you can," he said, phasing through the wall himself.

"Easy for you to say," she sighed, thinking hard about her purpose as she stepped forward towards the wall. Suddenly she was through and standing in the less formal, old throne room with the firepit.

"Majesty! Pretty lady here!" one of the goblins shouted abruptly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Jareth was cooing at a toddler,a broad smile on his face. A brief play of shock shadowed his eyes when he looked up to see Sarah standing there, dressed like one of his own people.

"Sarah-mine, you look-" he started quietly.

"Like an idiot?" Sarah asked, her eyes cast to the floor, afraid at what he would say.  
"Like a queen," Jareth said firmly, his tone commanding that she look up. When she did, she saw genuine love and admiration on his face and it soothed her frayed nerves. "There are about nine hours left on this wish-away, and then I should be free."

"Can we talk? I'm not too worried if the goblins hear."

"Any time you'd like, my love."

"Promise me you won't lose your temper again?" Sarah implored quietly.

Jareth looked at her, a burning in his eyes, taking a deep breath. "What has happened Sarah?"

"Your mother came to visit me at my cottage," Sarah blurted the words as quickly as she could, trying not to incite his ire.

"She WHAT?" Jareth's anger was barely contained as he roared out the question.

"It's been handled, Jareth, I reached out to Aislinn since I knew you were busy. She's put your mother in a holding cell that she says she can't get out of. Also, we're apparently the guests of honor at a ball she's throwing in three days?"

Looking at the toddler in his lap, Jareth sighed, a small smile on his face despite the awful news his bride-to-be had given him. "She certainly knows how to turn my world on its head, doesn't she little one?" he cooed to the child.  
The toddler giggled and wrapped her arms around Jareth in an all-consuming hug. "Bunbun!" the child squealed repeatedly, causing Jareth to summon a floppy stuffed rabbit, reminiscent of the Velveteen Rabbit.

"I wanted to make sure that you knew about the scene she caused, and that you knew I was safe. I wanted you to hear it from me and not someone else."  
"Love," he said softly. "I appreciate that beyond words. I'll come to you as soon as I'm done here and we can talk further, if you'd like that."

"I'd… I'd like to stay here for a while, if you don't mind. If I'm going to- I need to understand this, to know what exactly I've accepted. I know things from the runner's perspective, but I want to know how you handle this," Sarah said, her voice sounding increasingly strained at the idea of sitting and watching his side of things.

A look of mild surprise at her words crossed Jareth's face. "You would be willing to help with wish-aways?"

"Jareth, you said you would move the stars for me. The least I can do is maybe help you, try to learn what it is that being your other half entails. I want to do this in its entirety. So, now, who is this precious little angel?" Sarah asked, a warm smile on her face as she waved at the child.

"This is Elsie. Her parents divorced, her mother is hospitalized with some kind of injury, and her useless father wished her away the instant she was in his custody. Thankfully, she seems to be unharmed prior to this."

"How do you-"

"Her terrified father gushed it. Normally the Labyrinth will feed me a bit of information about the wish-away. For example, with yours, I knew it was just teenage frustration and situation, though, is anything but normal, starting with it not waking me up first. If the child isn't in trouble, there's time to be methodical about it," Jareth bounced Elsie on his knee.

A broad smile crossed his face as the little girl cooed. Sarah smiled, just watching him interact with the girl. Sitting on the edge of the unused fire pit, she looked around, taking in the surroundings.

"Pretty lady sit with gobbies?" a curious little goblin asked her.

"Well, I suppose so. Why shouldn't I? I'm only here for a bit and I certainly don't expect you lot to go fetch me a chair, not while there's more important business to deal with," she smiled down at the goblin, tussling his hair.

The two of them chatted, Jareth cooing over Elsie for a long while. He had been watching some of his orbs when he exploded to his feet in an instant, holding Elsie tightly while what little color his face normally held faded.

"Sarah, my love, can you hold Elsie? I need to attend to something-"

"Jareth?"  
"It's Elsie's mother. I need to go Aboveground and check something. Can you monitor the father from here? I'll leave the orbs up. He's got another four hours. I should be back before then, but if you reach the end of the clock and he fails before I return, have Sean guide you." Jareth moved toward Sarah and reached a hand out to caress her face. "You are more than capable," he said, handing Sarah the girl and abruptly transporting himself back Aboveground with no further explanation.

"Well kid," Sarah sighed, bouncing the little girl on her hip a bit while swaying, "looks like it's just you and me."

"We here lady!" the goblins chirped in.

Smiling, Sarah sank into Jareth's throne, the little girl safely in her arms. "Yes. Yes, you are."  
-

Appearing Aboveground, Jareth took to his barn owl form and flew to the hospital Elsie's mother was a patient in. Peering into the window he knew to be her room, he ruffled his feathers and sadly shook, watching the scene in front of him. He could see the heart monitor flatlining and the medical staff frantically working to keep the woman in their care alive. After a long while, they stopped their efforts, sadly pulling the blanket over her now motionless body. His worst fears had come true, and now his Sarah may have to deal with the aftermath.

Taking flight again, he headed to the house the Labyrinth had given the information on for Elsie's mother. Police tape covered the door and windows, but he could see inside, the bullet holes punching the interior walls. The rage and fire inside Jareth flared as he landed and shifted back to his normal form. He transported himself in to the house, and started walking through to figure out exactly what had happened. Stepping lightly and carefully, he searched the house for what he feared might be there.

Letting his magic expand out, he felt for anything that might have been out of sorts or bewitched. He could feel a faint, residual pull of magic, but not anything he could immediately pinpoint as being significant. Kneeling where he could feel it's pull the strongest, he pulled a small vial- one the human police had missed- from under the couch, picking it up before heading back to the Underground. Someone had some explaining to do, and it was going to certainly cause fireworks.

Sarah sat nervously watching the time count down on the 13 hour clock, sighing and turning to watch the orbs showing Elsie's father running in circles. Elsie had fallen asleep on Sarah's shoulder, happily clutching the 'bun-bun' that Jareth summoned for her before his sudden departure. As she watched the clock growing closer and closer to the man's final moments, Sarah steeled herself to face the father of the precious child she guarded. Her heart began racing as she summoned a playpen to lay the girl in before trying her hand at creating armour.

She stood, holding her hands at her sides, visualising the way Jareth's formal armour looked while she tried to create her own. Sean willed himself through the wall looking for Jareth and watched in silence as Sarah finished creating armour for herself and pulled her hair back into a severe bun, all the while staring coldly out the window, oblivious to his presence.

He cleared his throat softly. "My Lady, where did his Majesty go?"

"Out. And left me to do his job," she tugged her gloves tighter down on her hands. "Can you stay with Elsie while I deal with the last bits? Jareth said you'd be able to guide me, but I know what to say- I can feel a whisper of the Labyrinth's power nudging me in the right direction."

"You're certain about this, My Lady? I can go handle him if you should prefer it."

"No, thank you. It has to be me- I'm sure of it. Jareth's not here, we're at two minutes to the thirteenth hour, and I need to be able to do this job just as competently as he does going forward- well starting next they say there's no time like the present, right?"

As soon as Sarah finished those words, she transported herself and the clock to the bluff above the Labyrinth. As the clock chimed thirteen, the child's father was instantly placed on the top of the bluff as well.

"You have failed to solve our Labyrinth in the thirteen hours you were given. You have failed to reclaim your daughter. Go back to your home, forget the child," Sarah's voice was cold.

"You bitch. Where's that freakish fellow from before? The one that took my little girl?"

"None of your concern, Eric James," her voice came out measured, thankfully not faltering as she wondered how she knew his name. "You have failed yourself and you have failed your daughter. She will be well loved here. Return and forget she ever existed," Sarah turned slightly, looking out over the Labyrinth while still keeping an eye on the man before her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him charging her, a knife in hand. She stepped back abruptly, pulling a dagger from her side and deflecting his charge before waving her hand and freezing him in place, his eyes shifting frantically from side to side in fear at his sudden inability to move.

"I should dump you in an oubliette and leave you there," she snarled, suddenly aware of why Jareth took that tone with wishers-away. Her magic flared behind her eyes and she whirled on the man, a terrifying sight indeed. "Attacking the sitting Champion of the Labyrinth, the chosen of the Goblin King. You are a stupid, stupid man. Go back to your life and forget the happiness you might have once had-"

"Oh, he won't Precious. He's going to have what he did seared into his mind for all eternity." Jareth's voice was little more than a whisper as he stood just to Sarah's side and a few steps behind her. "She's dead, you absolute shitstain," Jareth snarled brutally. "You may not have done it intentionally, but you will pay," Though Sarah couldn't see the anger on his face, she could imagine it , and the fire behind her eyes as she stared the man down only intensified.

"Truss him up nice for the constabulary and drop him on their door," the ice carried through her voice and she saw the fear reflected in the man's eyes as her words hit him.

Sarah stepped backwards two steps, trusting that she would find Jareth behind her, and stopped as she felt his hand grasp her hip- in less than a second, the man was bound and transported to the police station in his district. In the heartbeat afterwards, Sarah sighed a sigh of relief in light of the situation.

"Precious, we must talk, but I want you to know this- you continue to amaze me with your capabilities and willingness to take on what you need to," he said gently against her neck. He pulled her back tight against his front and wrapped her in his arms as he transported the two of them together back to the castle with no more than a thought.

They appeared in the throne room where Sian sat with Elsie. The girl was still sleeping in the playpen, safe and quiet.

"So, you wanted to talk?" Sarah's voice was low, so as to not disturb the sleeping toddler.

Jareth still held her against him. "Yes, dear. But first, Sian, take the girl to her new parents. Next on the list. Prepare the paperwork and I'll make sure to deal with it later."

"Yes, your Majesty," the adviser bowed, before picking the child up and walking out of the room with her cradled securely against his chest.

Jareth released Sarah and gently spun her around to face him, a beguiled and enthralled look on his face. "You, my love, are amazing. The armour is a wondrous touch, and you handled this unfortunate situation beautifully. I am sorry I missed this. I did not mean to force your hand for this before you were ready, but this was far from a normal wish-away."  
"Jareth- I... I kind of suspected. When Titania was there waiting for me, well, I accused her of doing this, I was just hoping I was wrong. She didn't refute it though."

Jareth held the vial where Sarah could see it. "One of my mother's delightful concoctions. A dash of rage, a bit of memory loss, add in some passion. She's never gone this far before, but it reeks of mother's magic. You must have really gotten under her skin for her to do something of this magnitude. We'll need to take this to Aislinn and Richard, unfortunately. I was hoping not to have to do this. We'll have to send over in advance and let them know we're coming early."

Sarah's vision flashed red at the thought that his mother would do something like this to try and separate them. "The couriers were here earlier, while you were still Aboveground. I doubt they'll mind our showing up early. But I'm exhausted. Can we go to bed? Today was strenuous. I'm more exhausted than when I actually ran the labyrinth."

"Ah," Jareth said. "Yes. Alright." Jareth scooped Sarah off her feet and carried her to their bedroom cradled against him as one would a bride. As he set her down, he kissed the top of her head gently.

Sarah quickly stripped herself of her armour. One of the benefits of designing it herself meant that she could put all the clasps where they were accessible to her, and as soon as she divested the bulky garments she changed quickly into a pair of pajamas. She was thankful for the abilities the draught had given her, even at the price she'd paid for it. Jareth snickered at her nightclothes, an oversized t-shirt with the Grinch emblazoned on the front and a pair of men's silk boxers.

"Oh hush you. You sleep in your tights for heaven's sake. Which, I assure you, is not and cannot be at all as comfortable as these shorts," Sarah kissed him lightly before she crossed the room to the bed and burrowed deep into the covers. "Are you coming, my love, or am I sleeping in this beautiful, luxurious, cozy bed all alone?"

Jareth smirked again and shed his shirt and boots before climbing in next to her. "I wouldn't give up spending every night laying here with you for anything," he wrapped his arms around her, twining the fingers of his right hand in hers.

Sleep overtook them both quickly as they lay wrapped around each other, breathing softly, a happy dreamless sleep that both desperately needed. A nightingale lighted on their windowsill and chirped twice before taking off towards Aislinn and Richard's castle. All the while Sarah and Jareth lay peacefully, their hands still tangled in one another's.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

 _Author Note: I really couldn't do this without my wonderful wonderful editor beepallesen! Seriously. I have been so so blessed to find an editor that gets me so well_

Their next two days were filled with mundane, every-day things around the castle- Jareth was off dealing with his court and his citizenry while Sarah worked with Cecilie on her wedding attire, was fitted for a dress for the ball, and learned more of the basics of being one of the fae rather than just a human. Sarah was tucking herself into bed most nights long before Jareth was even back at the rooms, obviously exhausted despite rising later than he did as well as going to bed sooner. The morning of their planned trip to the High King and Queen's castle arrived and Sarah was a ball of raw nerves despite her plentiful sleep.

"Sarah, love, Aislinn and Richard love you. There isn't a problem, no reason for you to be as nervous as you are."

"Jareth, your mother hates me. I can't even begin to explain exactly why this has me in such a tizzy," she sighed, giving him a sideways look.

Jareth stopped what he was doing and abruptly but gently grabbed her by the shoulders and gazed deeply into her eyes. "I could not possibly care less about how my mother feels about you than I already do. She is not who will decide whom I love and marry. And I am marrying you, Sarah Williams."

Sarah looked back at him, mouth slightly agape at his bluntness. "I love you too. I'm sorry. Just… orchestrating a wish-away just to distract you, getting someone killed in the process- it's just so wrong in my eyes. I'd told her that shit was done if she wanted to be in our lives, and here we are dealing with the aftermath of her conniving."

"Precious, you are far nicer about this than anyone else I could imagine, including my siblings. Now, let's get dressed and and over to Aislinn and Richard's," he said, releasing her and striding to the closet to look for the outfit he wanted to wear to match Sarah's.

Sarah walked into their bathroom where her dress hung. The gown was a luxuriant teal silk velvet, the bodice adorned with beautiful obsidian beads in a semi-haphazard pattern that looked organic, as if they'd grown there, and the sleeves an open chiffon with a wrist closure in the same velvet as the rest of the dress. She slid into the soft garment and used just a touch of the energy she could pull from the Labyrinth to zip the dress for her before letting the magic extend to her hair and makeup. Her hair curled slightly into loose ringlets and her makeup was simple and understated, the circlet from her previous meeting with his family resting on her brow.

When Sarah came out of the bathroom, Jareth was dressed in a more formal pair of pants with a luxurious leather doublet, the colors reminiscent of his barn owl coloring but littered with occasional streaks of a lighter shade of the teal of her gown. His formal crown sat above his brow, and the smirk that was on his face quickly faded to a look of awe as he saw her.

Sarah giggled and curtsied to him. "Jareth, your seamstress is amazing. This is, wow, just- and here I thought the other dress was the most beautiful I'd ever wear. Thank you."

"Only the best for my queen," he responded wryly.

"Future queen," she corrected as she stepped further into the room, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly. "Shall we? You need to lead, I've no clue where we're going or how to get there."  
Jareth smiled and wrapped his arms around Sarah's waist while he created an orb designed to transport them directly to Aislinn & Richard's throne room. He kissed her soundly and the magic worked almost instantly as they were suddenly standing before the High King and Queen. Jareth broke off his kiss as they were announced.

"King Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom and the Lady Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth."

Sarah looked towards the throne, levelled her head, which was still reeling a bit from the transport, and lowered into a perfect deep curtsey. Jareth on the other hand decided that he wasn't going to be quite as formal and barely nodded his head in a gesture that borderline qualified as a half-bow.

"Rise, soon-to-be-sister. Approach!" Aislinn cheerfully chirped.

"Sister dear," Jareth said as they stepped towards the dais, Sarah's hand in his own. "can we speak privately for a moment? It is a family matter that I wish to discuss."

She nodded and turned to her husband. "Richard, I shall return shortly. Come Jareth and Sarah. Siobhan's floating around… oh there!" Aislinn waived their elder sister over to the room she was leading them to.

Once the door was shut behind the foursome, Aislinn warded it to prevent anyone from hearing them.

"Now, brother dearest, what is so pressing that YOU of all people arrived an hour early? I believe this may be a first as you are generally at least an hour late."  
"Aislinn, remember when I called for help?" Sarah looked her future sister-in-law directly in the eyes, her gaze unwavering.

"Of course, Sarah. I'm still appalled at mother's behaviour. It was so out of character for her."

Jareth had a grave look on his own face as he pulled the vial out of the pouch he'd kept it in. "I found this at the house of my- of OUR- most recent wish-away. The father murdered- or damn near murdered at that point, she died hours later- the girl's mother before wishing her away. It reeks of mother's magic."

Siobhan and Aislinn seemed to stop breathing as they turned to face Jareth.

"Well, you've certainly rocked the boat, haven't you?" Aislinn mused. "She'll stand trial for inciting a mortal to murder. I'll have to keep her in the tower. Sarah, will you be devastated if she's not free for the wedding?"  
"Your Maje- Aislinn, that is a question for Jareth, not me. At this point, the further she is from us, the happier I am."

"She orchestrated a murder, threatened my betrothed- repeatedly I might add- and unleashed a rage-filled unhinged psychopath into my Labyrinth. She's damned lucky none of my subjects were killed or harmed. Hell, I'd prefer her banished and stripped of her powers right now, without a trial. We all know she's guilty," Jareth was furious, but never raised his voice above an enraged hiss.

Siobhan looked at her younger sister, aghast. "Is all that true?"

Aislinn sighed as she looked away, down to the ground, before mumbling. "Probably. I showed up at the tail end of mother assaulting Sarah Aboveground. I… don't know how she got there, she'd been banned from using magic to teleport there for the last century, since the last time."  
"I do." A quiet voice echoed in to the room as a figure emerged from a smoky cloud.

Aislinn turned toward the voice, a slight look of disgust on her face."Talesin, why are you darkening my door?"  
"Come now, sister, can't we have a happy reunion?"  
"Not while an exiled member of my family stands in my home," Aislinn's voice was fire and ice. "You were banished to the land beyond the mountains forever. Why in the heavens are you here?"

"Mother called, unhappy about the human whore Jareth was betrothed to and that the rest of the older children were rallying around her. But this one doesn't feel human. Is mother sure she is? Are you sure she is?"

"She drank the-" Jareth started before being cut off by his younger brother.

"No. She wasn't fully human before that, probably never really was. Her ancestors danced with our kind generations ago it feels like, but maybe five at most. This girl was touched before she ever fully became one of us. You never had any visions or anything? No. Of course you didn't, you had no clue. It's why your subconscious was able to call him and why you were able to win."

Sarah stared at the odd looking fey. His eyes appeared to be solid white, the black points of his pupils the only discernible color in them, his raven's black hair a mop surrounding almost white skin.

"You, girl, aren't what I expected. Mother won't be getting help from me at all, not that I'd planned it in the first place anyway. What a champion she was when I was banished. I greatly apologize for intruding. Congratulations brother, it is lovely to see you finally happy. Pray mother sees the error of her ways. Calling me was the first thing she would do, especially as our sisters have already decided to not back her plays in this case, especially not Siobhan, who already married a human. She'll only try to call for bigger darker things from here on out."

"Hope she doesn't call our cousins, though that could be great fun for everyone involved, and it would showcase exactly what magics that bride of yours holds. You'll have to let me know if she does. By the way, she had her personal healer transport her to the Aboveground, she always does."

As his words drifted on the air, Talesin stepped back into the smoke and vanished, the cloud going with him.

"Dammit Aislinn! I thought you said she was secure!" Jareth roared at the perceived danger to Sarah.

"She WAS. How she called that traitor, I've no clue. She wasn't given ANYTHING but clothing, no access to ritual items and the room is warded to block her natural abilities!"  
Siobhan froze, her voice falling monotone, her eyes glazing over as she spoke. "She's got a poppet. Quite a few, it seems, and they're all in the cell with her. One of the maids, not very strong with her magic, thought there was no harm. She couldn't feel that they were enchanted with the old magics."

As she finished, she shook her head to clear it a bit. "Don't say I don't ever help with that pesky vision mess. Get the poppets, stop the call outs. Unfortunately, I don't know how far she's gotten with them. I'll never say perfect clarity is guaranteed with what I can see."

"I'll deal with mother," Aislinn spat through gritted teeth. "Let us let this matter go for tonight, at least on your part. Enjoy the celebrations, please?"

"Aislinn," Sarah said quietly, "don't overextend yourself because of me. I'm, I'm so incredibly sorry for the trouble I've brought you."

Tears welled in her eyes before she looked at Jareth and then abruptly down at the floor. "I shouldn't have said yes. I should have run again. Hell I should have run the instant dad brought me the vanity. I shouldn't have fallen in love with you."  
"Sarah!" he blurted, reaching for her hand as she started to shimmer out of view, inadvertently taking him with her.

They ended up on the top of a mountain, back in the Aboveground. Sarah stared out over the view, openly sobbing, pulling her hand away from him and stepping closer toward the edge.

"Precious, I would trade my throne, my power, and my immortality to stand at your side. At your own pace. We don't need to do this at this pace. I shouldn't have pushed you," his voice was soft as he stepped towards her.

The tears slowed as she sniffed, turning to face him, her eyes red and glassy with the tears still in them. "Why? I'm just a stupid human. Immortal, but still just a stupid human."

Jareth swore under his breath, taking her by the shoulders before kissing her with desperation. After a few moments, he held her away from him at arm's length. "Sarah-mine, you are so much more than that. I do not care whether you are human or more. Truly, you could be an alien creature from the far-flung stars and as long as it was still your soul, your heart, I would love you until eternity's end. Mother and the possibility of my insane cousins' involvement will not change that. My sisters love you. Hell, you got the High King's approval simply by not backing down, by being you. How could I possibly do anything but be madly, undyingly in love with you?"

"I'm so sorry. There's so much happening and I'm so overwhelmed. I lost my head a bit. We should go back," she whispered, glamouring over her puffy, bloodshot eyes.

Jareth kissed her forehead and transported them back into his sisters' home.

"Sorry, little lover's tiff, you both know how those go. Now, Aislinn, get the poppets and we'll deal with whatever comes. Let's deal with this party, first and foremost," Jareth's voice was easy, his hand gentle on Sarah's back, guarding her protectively.

Aislinn nodded, leaving the room first, followed by Siobhan, and finally Sarah and Jareth. They would endure and persevere, just like the siblings had always done. Guards were sent to address the Titania situation, and did so quickly. The room was stripped of everything but a table and bed while she screeched. Sarah could hear it down the hallway where they all stood, ensuring it was done completely, while she leaned against Jareth for the emotional support she so desperately needed.

Shortly after they returned back to the throne room and the veritable fireworks ended, the guests Aislinn and Richard had invited began arriving and the feast and modest ball to celebrate Jareth and Sarah's engagement kicked off. Many of the guests expressed a multitude of kind words and encouragement to Sarah at her capture of the elusive Goblin King's heart. There was a volume of dancing and the rest of the night passed quickly before the guests began to trickle out and make their way back to their beds, including Sarah and Jareth.

Stopping to speak to Aislinn before returning home, Jareth smiled weakly. "Long day again tomorrow," he sighed to his younger sister.

"Oh please. You thrive in these situations, brother dear. Mother will go on trial early next week. Two days hence, you and Sarah will be expected as witnesses, though I would recommend being here day one. I'm sorry this is all so sordid and sullying what should be a happy time."

"Aislinn, I've spent a decade wallowing in misery, watching that beautiful creature from afar. I can't say she doesn't fear me, but she loves me and she's willing to follow my lead. Hell, sometimes she's as reckless as I am."

Aislinn smiled indulgently. "And sometimes moreso. Go, Jareth," she said, pushing him gently away. "Meet her parents, do the human thing. Ask her father for her hand. Be a charming mortal for them, one that's utterly besotted with their daughter," she shoved her brother towards his beloved harder before waving them off to the Castle beyond the Goblin City once more.

Sarah staggered, exhausted, as they landed, and with just a thought and a bit of a wish, was back in her pajamas from the night before. Jareth watched her in awe, realizing how quickly she was adapting to what she'd become for him, how much stronger she was getting without any coaching. As they climbed in to bed, settling in to one another's protective embrace, Sarah sighed a happy sigh.

"I wish the Goblin King was mine. Forever," she murmured, drowsing in his arms.

"Your wish is granted, Precious. I promise," he kissed the top of her head as they both fell fast asleep, an odd whisper on the wind weaving into their dreams.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

As morning broke Aboveground, Sarah and Jareth still ran through one another's dreams Underground, as they chased a particularly elusive bit of happiness, the last little piece of their future together. Finally, Sarah woke, nestled deeply in the covers, and Jareth's embrace. A single stray sunbeam streamed in through the window, and landed perfectly on his face. A small smile crossed her lips as she realized that regardless of all the insanity that came with his family, this was where she wanted to be. Jareth tossed his head as the sunbeam landed across his eyes and blinked awake, catching her gazing at him.

"Mmm good morning, Love. What are the big plans for the day?"

Sarah groaned and rolled away from him. "Uuggh. Don't remind me. We have to go to my parents… well Dad and Irene's. I doubt he's inviting mom. 'Lynda didn't see us worthy of her big star life. Why should we keep inviting her over and over again just to be ignored.' Dad was always grousing about it. Three months after- When I turned sixteen, she asked me to come down for my birthday. Summer break was half over, but dad relented and let me go. Never mind that she hadn't seen me in four years, or that she knew nothing about supervising a teenager."

"August 2nd rolled around, my actual birthday, and she met me at the train station, dropped me off at her loft, and bailed. I didn't see her for three days. Dad called the fourth day, asked how things were going. I broke down crying, told him everything. She walked in as I was sobbing on the phone with him. That was a colossal fight. I never did speak to her again. Dad was definitely right that we weren't part of her big famous life. She still has no desire to be a part of my life either," Sarah pressed into his arms again, a tear falling from her eyes, her heart a bit heavy from just letting that bomb fall.

"Sarah, you can see her or not. That is your choice. You can use the orbs to spy on her if you want."

"The papers did a good job of covering her. She turned her off-Broadway jobs in to a booming Broadway career. I stopped existing in their purview at 18, not that I was really on their radar before that, being upstate and all."

Jareth held her just a little closer, feeling the hurt and sadness radiating off her. She was putting on a tough front about her mother, but it still hurt her somewhere deep inside.

Trying to lighten the mood, he smiled at her, "Love, did you know your birthday is a fire festival day in the Celtic Calendar?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I took a few world religion classes in college. My professors were pretty impressed. Your family follows them? I've heard you mention a couple before…"

"Only through our nature. The Celts revered the fae folk, more so on the fire fests, so naturally we too became closer to them. The veil still thins drastically on those days. One day I'll tell you all about my siblings and my misbegotten youth filled with pranks. The best I can offer is that, yes, they exist, they can be an unending amount of fun, and some of them are centered around the best things in life… being tied to the one you love," he smirked at her. "But.. if I'm going to start THAT conversation, it will just devolve into a discussion of my undying love and devotion to you-"

"Jareth," Sarah rolled over to face him, a smirk of her own crossing her lips, "Shut up."

She kissed him hard, her hands gently roving through his hair. He responded by feathering his fingers along the waistband of her boxers, just barely touching the skin, trying to get a feel for where she was at emotionally.

"Yes… please…" she whispered against his lips before sitting up slightly and pulling her shirt over her head.

"Someone is feeling quite forward today," he observed, grabbing at her hips, as he started kissing down her neck to her already taut nipples.

"I'm pretty damn sure we've got time for a quickie," she gasped as his mouth closed around the rosy flesh as his hands pushed her boxers and panties down a bit.

"A quickie?" he questioned while kissing down her stomach, still working to completely divest her of her clothing.

"You know, an expedient round of sex? We both get ours and it's done and then we can move on with the hell of the day," she laughed at the concept of explaining a quickie to someone.

"Hmm. Sounds like a silly human idea. I SUPPOSE we can try it, just this once," his fingers brushed against her, slowly parting her lips, and thrumming over the sensitive bud.

Sarah gasped and writhed against his hand. His telltale smirk crossed his face as he gently kissed her stomach and the juncture of her hips and thighs, his face roving ever closer to where his hand was toying with her. She was already dripping wet, ready for him. A quick nip at her hip, and he was already removing his own pants. Sarah arched against him as he feathered kisses back up her body.

"Jareth… please," she started to beg as he rolled her on to her back, biting her neck with just enough pressure to make her moan, but not hard enough to leave any marks her father, or younger brother for that matter, would be able to see.

Slowly, Jareth pressed himself into her core, causing her to cry out hoarsely, a moan mixed with a mildly strangled scream. She was already teetering on the edge, scarcely able to even begin to fathom why, nor did she really care- if this was going to be the rest of her life, she was going to be a very happy woman. Jareth's thrusts sped up just a little bit and she could feel him raking over that one specific spot inside, inching her ever closer to spilling over the edge of her own passions.

As he looked down at his beloved, Jareth smiled, enthralled at the blissful look on her face as she was crescendoing towards her release. Her orgasm hit and Sarah's hands flew to Jareth's biceps, nails digging in as her eyes rolled back in her head and her back arched even further. As she started coming down from her first high, Jareth sped his pace up again, not letting her come down all the way, racing towards a second orgasm for her.

Sarah didn't have time to recover fully before the first waves of the second climax started hitting her. "Fuck," was the only thing she could think to say, before raising to her elbows to kiss Jareth, every muscle in her body feeling like it was convulsing. The pulsing muscles acting like a velvety vice as he was pounding into her was too much to bear when combined with her impassioned kiss, and he spilled in to her, groaning against her mouth. As he rolled off her and on to his side, he pulled Sarah close to him.

"I think I still prefer the more drawn out sessions, love," he laughed kissing her hair.

"Yeah, yeah. We don't have that kind of time today," she chuckled, nestling briefly into his arms. "I'm thinking we should drive up from my house to my parents, we can just take my car."

"Or, I could just transport us closer and just magic a car. Surprisingly, I'm capable of those things. And driving. We never did discuss what or who I am to your parents."

"Well, I've told people that you're international, but nothing specific. And you intimated to Liz that you were an exchange student from England when we were kids. Dad knows I wouldn't date a droll banker or anything like that. And certainly not a West-End actor. He'd flip his lid if I brought home someone like Mom. Musician? No… he'd lose it over that too… Art Curator in London?"  
"Hmm. That could work. So then… midrange car, comfortable clothing… I think I shall like your family, so much less to live up to than my own," he smirked, waving a hand and summoning a pair of small, already packed, overnight bags.

Sarah sat up and stretched, Jareth's hand inadvertently falling to her stomach as she started moving.

"Oh no you don't. We'll discuss THAT after the wedding Aboveground. Which I'm sure we'll wind up discussing tonight. Irene will want to," she sighed, trying to adjust to her step-mother wanting her to be the perfect daughter still.

"That is all your choice love."

"Fuck it. Lets elope. Monday. We'll just run away and get married at the courthouse and not tell them," she laughed. "Everyone would kill me. Literally kill me. Or try to, at least."

Jareth smiled as he looked at Sarah standing, still nude, her curves perfectly outlined in the early morning sunlight. Her back was beautifully muscled, each one rippling mildly under her skin as she moved. A brief thought from her and she was wearing her favourite pair of jeans and a cozy cashmere sweater.

He stood and pondered what he was going to wear to meet her family before deciding. He used his own magic and was suddenly wearing a nice, grey silk button down and a pair of tight, but not _too_ tight, jeans. A pair of silver rimmed glasses and the same slightly shaggy hair style he'd glamoured for their date near a week previously completed the look.

Grabbing her purse and one of the overnight bags, Sarah wrapped her arms around Jareth as he transported them a few miles from her father's house using one of his orbs instead of just his raw magic. They were standing in the far back of a parking lot, and he waved his hand, a black hybrid Prius appearing before them.

"How perfectly pretentious," Sarah giggled, as she tossed her bag in the back seat before she climbed into the passenger seat. "You'd better not kill us."

Jareth smirked, as he put his own bag in the car before he sat and started it. The little car accelerated easily after he put it in drive. Sarah instinctively started giving him directions, and he looked over at her, rolling his eyes.

"Love, I know where I'm going. You'll find a ring box in the glove compartment. Put the ring in it for me and drop it in the center console. I'll grab it when I climb out," his voice was soft like velvet.

Sarah quietly smiled and slid the ring off her finger and put it into the box. She set it in the console, like he'd asked, so he could keep both hands on the wheel as he pulled up the drive. She hopped out of the car before Jareth had even had a chance to fully park, and immediately pulled the back door open for her bags. Toby had seen them pull in the driveway and raced out to tackle-hug his sister.

"Sarah! Mom's making her chicken parmesan for dinner! You must have asked her something SUPER special!"

"That's awesome, Tobes! Oh hey, bud… this is Jareth," she smiled down the little bit she still had on Toby height wise as Jareth climbed out of the car and moved to grab his bag.

"Is HE why you called?"

"Yes."

Toby's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, trying to prevent Jareth from hearing. "Do you like-like him?"

Sarah smiled more broadly at her little brother, chuckling at how rapidly he was catching up to her five-foot-six height. "Yeah. I do. I like-like him a lot Tobes. We've been.. Friends for a while. He makes me smile when I feel absolutely hopeless."

Toby grinned broadly. "OK!" he chirped in the flippant way that only an eleven year old boy could.

Jareth walked around the car, overnight bag in hand, and the other held out for Sarah's hand. They followed Toby in to the house, as he yelled, "Mom! Dad! Sarah's here! She brought a booooooy!"

Irene came out of the kitchen, beaming. "Sarah! Darling! You know where the guest room is. Hi, I'm Irene."

"Hello, Mrs. Williams," Jareth stepped forward, extending his hand. "Jareth Roy."

"Jareth. Well. It's a pleasure. Robert! Sarah and her beau are here!" she yelled over her shoulder while shaking Jareth's hand.

Sarah's father lumbered out of his study, a broad smile on his face. "Pumpkin!"

"Hi Dad, this is Jareth."

"Mr. Williams, it's a pleasure to meet you all finally. Sarah has told me so much about all of you."

"Babe, I'll take the bags upstairs. I know you mentioned you wanted to talk to Dad," Sarah took his overnight bag, and bumped his back with it, a subtle nudge towards her father.

Robert motioned towards the door to his study, while he studied the man his daughter had brought with her.

"Can I get you a drink, Jareth?"

"You don't happen to have a decent gin do you? Can't drink it around Sarah, she hates the stuff. Says it's the pedantic Londoner in me."

"Hendricks ok?"

"Perfect."

Robert poured the two of them each a drink, gin for Jareth and vodka for himself, before sitting down as he motioned for Jareth to do the same in the oversized leather wingbacks he kept in the office. Taking a decent sized sip of the liquor, Jareth looked Robert dead in the face.

"Mr. Williams, I wanted to talk to you before I spoke with Sarah… We've only actually been dating a very short time, but she and I have been friends for years, and I find myself madly, utterly in love with her. To the point where I don't think I could live without her. She's like the air I need to breathe. With your permission," he said as he pulled the ring box out for emphasis, "I'd like to ask her to marry me."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Robert's face went white as a ghost as Jareth said those words. "I'm… I'm sorry. Can you repeat that? I need to make sure I'm not going crazy and heard what I think I did."

Jareth sighed and rolled his eyes a bit, surprised at how daft the man had gone, despite the absolute brilliance of his daughter. "I'd like to ask Sarah to marry me, with your permission."

Irene walked in just as Jareth was saying the last part. "I think it's a wonderful idea!" she exclaimed and glared at her husband, daring him to say otherwise.

"You're going to treat her like she ought to be?" Robert breathed out, finally processing exactly what he had just been asked.

"Like a queen," Jareth smiled slyly.

"Then by all means. Though, I doubt she'll be thrilled you asked permission. She's very much a strong, independent girl," Robert gave a look that betrayed his knowledge of his daughter.

"I'm aware," Jareth chuckled slightly. "I'm a bit of a traditionalist myself, and she is well aware of that. Thank you, both of you."

"You're welcome. Why don't you take her for a walk before dinner? We've got a little while still. There's that park a couple of blocks away, she always loved going down there with Merlin, her dog, as a teenager," Robert sighed out as he downed the rest of his drink.

Jareth followed suit, finishing his own drink and walked to set the glass in the kitchen, before he wandered upstairs to see his beloved future Queen. Sarah was sitting on the floor in Toby's room, playing some card game with the child.

"Sarah, darling, could we perchance take a walk? I need to stretch after that drive."

"Oh! Sarah! Can I go too? We can go to the clocktower park! They put in new swings!"

"As long as Jareth doesn't mind if you come, I don't."  
"Love, why would I mind? You know I love children," Jareth's eyes twinkled a bit as he shared a secretive smile with her.

"Fine," she sighed, standing up. "Get your coat Toby, it's still chilly."  
The merry trio headed out the door, Sarah calling to her parents that they were taking Toby to the park. The walk was a bit brisk as it was still so early in the Spring. Jareth's fingers were entwined with Sarah's and he pulled her just a bit closer to share his warmth with her. When they got to the park, Jareth pulled her to stand in front of the statue he'd always sat on in owl form, while Toby dashed for the swings.

Dropping to one knee, Jareth pulled the ring box out and slid the ring back on to Sarah's finger where it belonged.

"Sarah Williams, will you do me the honour of being my wife?"

A couple of gentle tears rolled down Sarah's face, his second proposal being just as sweet as the first, and maybe slightly more romantic in her eyes.

"Of course I will Jareth. Forever," she smiled a knowing smile.

Toby ran over, having flung himself from the swings seeing Jareth on one knee. "So… are you guys going to be gross and kiss?"  
"Not right now," Sarah laughed, taking Jareth's offered arm once he'd stood back up.

Toby ran back to the swings laughing after her reassurance, and they followed, Sarah beaming the entire time. They let Toby play for a good hour before dragging him away from the park to head home for supper.

Irene had the table set and wine poured before they ever walked in the door. Sarah felt her laser targeted look checking her entire body over, until Irene's eyes lit on the ring. Dinner was served in short order, and they all sat down to eat together.

"Daddy, Irene… Jareth proposed while we were at the park. He has to head back to England next week. Would you lose it if I suggested we have a quick, small wedding on Saturday? He leaves Monday after next."  
Irene nearly choked on the bite of pasta she'd just taken. "That's hardly time to plan a proper wedding, Sarah."  
"I really only want you guys, Liz, Gran, and maybe the game team there. Just a small thing. Nothing crazy, certainly not anything that's going to cost a fortune."  
"What about Jareth's family?"  
"My twin sister and her husband live nearby enough that they could join us."

"What about the rest?" Irene glared, the shock of Sarah's request still setting in, but having settled just enough.

"Oh, they don't really speak to me. Persona-non-grata, black sheep and all that," Jareth gently took Sarah's hand. "Meeting back up with Sarah was one of the best things to happen to me as of late."  
"Robert! This is madness! What will the rest of your firm think? Really! Say something!"

"I believe, Irene, they will think that my daughter is her own person, and is yet again chasing her dreams. She's not a member of the firm. I can get Judge Winthorpe here, or we can ask Father Johnson," Sarah's father said softly, shutting his wife down and letting his daughter know it was her life, and choice.

"Judge Winthorpe would be great. Jareth's family isn't Catholic, so I don't think the big to do would really be worth it," Sarah smiled at Jareth. "I can make some phone calls. Think Carnaby's would take a reservation for this Saturday at say 4pm? We could do the wedding here at like 2pm, rent a bus, have some drinks, then take the bus to dinner and have it bring us home after?"

"Sure, pumpkin. Just make the calls. You still have the card number?"

"Yeah. I always kept that one as a back-up, in case something really bad happened," Sarah smiled broadly.

"Well I never!" Irene declared. "I think I have a wicked headache. I'm heading to bed."

The chair creaked along the floor as she scooted back, throwing her napkin on the table, and quietly but firmly walked up the stairs to her room.

"Pumpkin," Robert said, seeing the minor distress on Sarah's face, "I'll deal with her."

"It's ok dad, she's disappointed there won't be a big to-do. I think she'd really hoped for that out of me. She won't be nearly as involved when Toby gets married, so I was her chance to be 'mother-of-the-bride'. I'll make sure to do something special for her with this," Sarah mumbled between bites of her chicken.

Jareth lay a hand on Sarah's thigh, a telling look on his face. This world was so different from the one he had back home, where he was the one in charge and could have simply bogged someone for acting like that in regards to the happy announcement of their engagement and expedient nuptials.

"So, Jareth, what's dragging you back to London so abruptly," Robert asked, changing the subject.

"Ah. A mysterious benefactor just donated a huge exhibit. I need to confirm whether some of the paintings are real or not. There are supposedly some original Hans Holbein the Younger paintings in it that have never been released for public view before. The head curator is exceptionally eager to get it up as part of our current Tudor exhibit if they are true Holbein's. Unfortunately, it means my holiday is being cut short," Jareth flashed a grin before taking another bite of his own food. "Your wife is an excellent cook, Mr. Williams."

"Please, call me Dad, or Robert. You'll be family soon enough."

"Well, thanks, Dad. Please pass my compliments on her cooking along," Jareth managed to not laugh as he tried to follow Robert's request.

The rest of the meal was quiet and after everyone was done eating, they helped Toby clear the table and load the dishwasher before heading to play some board games with the boy. The hours passed and Sarah got him tucked in to bed before sending Jareth to the guest room and heading to her father's study, where she knew he'd be working as usual.

"Toby should be asleep soon. Remember to put his basket out," she said quietly, leaning against the door frame.

"Of course Pumpkin. So are you absolutely sure about this?"  
"Oh, I'm terrified I'm making the biggest mistake of my life. But I really do think I love him Dad. Like really really. I find him to be so far beyond mentally stimulating, great for conversation. He makes me smile, just by being there. I stayed at his place last night, and woke up at dawn while he still slept… it felt so right when I looked at him."

"That's all you can hope for, pumpkin. I'm glad you found someone that makes you that happy. Ok, I've got some paperwork to finish, a basket to set up and some sleep to get. You should probably get to bed too."

"Night daddy," Sarah said quietly, standing back up fully and turning to quietly climb the stairs and pad down the hallway to the guest room.

Jareth was talking into an orb on his side of the bed, lounging, still fully dressed in the outfit he'd come to her parent's in. Sarah could hear Siobhan and Lennon's voices echoing out of the orb. Jareth looked at her pensively and flashed a small smile before bidding his twin and her husband good-bye.

"Mother's trial is apparently set to start Monday. We'll need to be there for it."

"I'll have to come here Friday night."  
"Why?"

"Bad luck to see the bride before the wedding on your wedding day. Delightful superstitions and all. Sounds like you guys have them too," she sat and kissed him.

"Mmmmm yes, sort of. That should be fine. What time again next Saturday?"

"You need to be here at one. Wedding at two. Are Siobhan and Lennon going to bring their children?"

"No. You don't need to have them causing their special brand of chaos. They're little dervishes."

"Sounds like they'd get on perfectly with Toby," Sarah chuckled, digging through her overnight bag for her pajamas and changing. "But fine. So dinner here, and head back tomorrow night to prepare for Monday, then off to Aislinn and Richard's?"

"Unfortunately. I'd hoped you would have more time at our home to prepare for the wedding."  
"I've got Cecilie. She's been wonderful and I'm sure I can trust her to figure out some things with little guidance, if I just ask, like flowers, and my dress. She's got some idea of what things I like, and she certainly knows my measurements," Sarah said quietly, climbing in to the bed, nestling in to Jareth's arms. "I will have to get Aboveground somehow to buy a dress for Saturday, you know."

"My darling, I don't know that we'll have time for that. I won't have a guard free to send with you either, unfortunately, Precious."

"Jareth, real talk. What's the probability of us having to deal with this longer than this week?" Sarah's voice was hard but weary.

"Honestly, I can't say. The evidence and past behaviour speak to her possibility of having gone as far as we know she did. But, I can't say how long she may find a way to draw this out. She may find a way to bring Talesin further into this, though I don't believe it will do what she believes it will, not from his odd reaction to you yesterday. He almost seems to like you, which is unusual from him."  
"I guess we'll figure it out," she sighed, leaning closer in towards him, her eyes drifting closed. "We need to be up early. We should get to sleep, my King."

"Oh you precious thing," he kissed the top of her head gently as they nestled down into the covers.

The night passed quickly as they dozed off, the embrace of sleep surrounding them. Sarah clung to Jareth as though her very life depended on him to keep her afloat, two halves of a whole. Dawn broke and Jareth woke up first, looking down at Sarah who was still dead asleep. Gently kissing her forehead, he managed to untangle himself from her arms and padded barefoot down the stairs, pulling a t-shirt on over his head. Irene was already bustling about the kitchen, starting pieces of the dinner, and getting ready to make coffee.

"Good morning Mrs. Williams. Anything I can help with?" He smiled at her, trying to be friendly, despite the scene the night before.

"Oh! I didn't expect anyone else to be awake. And please, it's Irene."

"I completely understand. I'm still mostly on London time, the one nice thing about my job is that if I want to start at noon, I can. So… was there anything I could help with?"

"Can you start a fresh pot of coffee? I don't drink it, but Robert and Sarah most certainly will want one and would be thrilled to have it already ready to go."

"Absolutely. I can't stand the stuff either. Do you happen to have any English Breakfast tea floating around? It's a guilty pleasure of mine, Sarah teases me about being a quintessential Londoner for my preference."

"We may very well. There's almost an entire store's worth of various teas in the pantry from my trying different ones," she smiled. "The kettle's in the cabinet to the right of the stove. Thank you for the help."

"Anything for my dearest's family. You raised her and got her to this point, and I greatly appreciate that. Had you not, I would not have such a wonderful, charming, intelligent woman in my life," Jareth smiled over at Irene as he scooped coffee grounds in to the filter before taking the carafe to fill the machine with water.

"Mmm. I should let you get up early and talk to Irene more," Sarah said from the doorway, her voice still husky from sleep. A small smile was on her face as she walked into the room.

"Oh, good morning Sarah. It seems like Jareth is a good influence on you. I don't think I've seen you up this early since you were in high school."

Jareth smiled a knowing smile at Sarah. She was only up because he had vacated the bed and she didn't like it. If she'd had her way, they'd have slept until noon.

"Not really. I've been doing earlier mornings for work lately," Sarah murmured, eyeing the coffee pot, which was happily filling, while Jareth started the kettle. "Jareth, you don't have a coffee maker in the flat, do you."

"No, Sarah dear, I don't. I can't stand the vile drippings of that bitter bean."  
"I may have to call the wedding off, with you disparaging my one, undying, true love like this," she feigned injury and insult. "But really. We NEED to get one of these. Or a french press and a grinder. I can't be picky as long as my beloved bitter bean is available."  
Jareth rolled his eyes as Irene laughed. The easy banter was something she'd always hoped for Sarah to have, just like she and Robert had at times still.

"Irene… I'm sorry about last night. It's just… It's so hard to deal with extended visitor visas, and I really don't want to be away from Jareth for months."

"Your father and I talked last night Sarah. I'm sorry too. I just… I had such grand plans for your wedding. To make up for all the years of disappointment your mother caused, and because you're our daughter, and deserve the best."  
Sarah slipped across the kitchen and snatched the coffee pot almost as soon as the last few drops fell in. Pulling her favourite large mug from the cabinet, Sarah poured the fragrant elixir into it and held it near her face to breath the scent in deeply. "Irene, you never let me down. Lynda's choices… they hurt, over and over, but they weren't yours. I was an awful brat, you let me sob it out and were there every time I needed you. Don't try to atone for her sins. Thank you, honestly."  
Robert walked into the kitchen as Irene burst in to tears and enveloped Sarah in a huge hug. "Pumpkin? Irene?" the confusion was plastered on his face.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

The two women laughed a little, wiping tears away as they started smiling a bit more at one another, the tensions between them from the last 15 years finally melting away. Sarah had never really understood why her father had married Irene, and had never really made an effort to make things easier between them. The struggles of having someone in her love's close family pushing so hard against her had opened Sarah's eyes to exactly what she'd been doing to Irene in all that time.

"Ah. Dad… they… are alright. I believe they are working towards a better understanding of one another," Jareth awkwardly said, fussing with the kettle and his mug. Calling a man at least two millenia younger than him 'Dad' was still odd to the fey, but he knew it would make Sarah's family happy.

"Wait… really? All it took was Sarah getting engaged to fix their relationship. Huh. Well, that makes me feel a little better," he murmured spying the nearly full coffee pot. "Coffee, Jareth?"

"Oh. No. According to your daughter, I'm a laughable level of a consummate Brit. I've got the kettle on for a cup of tea," a small grin crossed Jareth's face as the kettle whistled.

The four adults stood in the kitchen, chatting, when Toby finally came downstairs and saw his overflowing Easter basket in the living room and yowled in joy. Each new thing was another hoot or howl of excitement, Sarah laughing at the younger boy's obvious joy. Jareth watched the spectacle, a bit bewildered, calmly sipping his tea. Finally, Toby was done digging through all the new toys and candy he'd received and Irene had hustled him upstairs to dress for church.

"Sarah, are you sure the two of you don't want to join us?"

"Yes Daddy. Like I said yesterday, Jareth's not Catholic. And I don't really have a religion anymore, not since digging in and learning more about all the discrepancies in the church. We'll be fine here, and besides, we can start on dinner for Irene so you don't have to rush home."

"Thank you, though, I think Irene would be happier if you did come with us…"

Sarah smiled a knowing smile. "We'll behave ourselves, like proper adults, Dad. You should go get dressed though. Gods know Irene's going to want you in your nice suit. I'd wager she's pressing your shirt now," she shooed her father off to his room to dress and wandered back into the kitchen to pour herself another cup of coffee and start the oven to put the turkey in.

As the rest of the family scrambled out the door to head to church, Sarah slid the giant bird into the oven and sat down at the table in the breakfast nook with her coffee. Jareth wandered in and sat next to her, taking one of her hands. They sat quietly for a while, sipping at their preferred warm drinks

"Precious, you're tense. What are you worrying after?"

"Your mother's trial seems too easy, Jareth. It's like there's something bigger hanging out there, and I'm not sure what. Like, she's got some awful devious plan and we're just playing right into her hands. But stressing about it now isn't going to fix anything. We've less than a week until the brilliant Jareth Roy is my beloved husband," a semi-sly smile crossed her face as she twined her fingers with his.

"I could not be more thrilled, Precious," he smiled back. "Is there anything I can do to help with supper?"

"Can you actually cook?"

"Well… no. That was not a skill I found necessary to learn…"

"You can open the wine when it's time to eat," Sarah chuckled marveling at just how privileged Jareth had grown up between being a noble in the fae courts and a magic user. Not learning how to cook indeed. "So, I realized something, kingy… you've never really mentioned your father… ever."

"Ah. well. He- Part of the reason my mother so hates humans is because my father was an idiot. He was a king, a lesser one under the High King, his older cousin twice removed, Richard's father for what it matters, and married mother to appease the courts, something he pushed for us to not do, after how poorly that started going as we got older. The eight of us were born fairly quickly… an anomaly to begin with, but mother had some inkling of another type of fae in her, from way back…"

"EIGHT? I thought there were only the four of you…"

"Brigid and Cerridwen have no time for the squabbles of the rest of us, or mother's drama. They married a couple of dukes that hold land along the far edges of the High King's lands, next to some more hostile rulers. They have their own troubles over there," Jareth summed up his missing two sisters. "Aelric and Wyrd… took off centuries ago with their lovers. We never really hear from them, they're off doing whatever it is that they do. Mother both fiercely loved and couldn't stand the quadruplets. Who really could. Fraternal twins twice over, then another set that had become two sets of identical twins? She was furious after the last birth."

"Regardless, in all of this, father kept heading above ground and seeking companionship with mortals. Another piece of our history Shakespeare mimicked in that damnable play. Oberon's discretion was minimal, which is likely why Talesin could feel feytouched blood in you… some of the other nobles took the same liberties as father, and weren't always… careful," Jareth sighed, watching his beloved as she stood to go continue working on dinner.

"Hmm… like father like son," Sarah snarked playfully, a grin on her face.

"Of course you would. But I suppose I left myself open to that one," Jareth's exasperation with her amusement at his expense seeped into his voice. "Father didn't necessarily care what gender his lovers were, at least the mortal ones. They just had to be pretty. That was his inevitable downfall. Back in seventeenth century England, he made his fatal error and engaged in a liaison with a minor lord's son. He was of age, but his father was completely scandalized that his son had a male lover, and challenged father to a duel, attempting to defend his son's honour from the rumours. Unfortunately, he chose guns, which at the time were terribly inaccurate, but were lead and iron shot. Father was beyond reckless, and had no chance if it was even a marginally successful shot. Through it all, mother was growing more and more insane in her fervor against the mortals her husband had trotted off to. The youngest chose that time to make their escape. Siobhan had only been married to Lennon for about ten years at that point, Aislinn and Richard had been married maybe a century in aboveground time and hadn't taken the throne yet."

Sarah stared at Jareth. "So… she's only really been going this crazy for about four hundred years, and no one thought to address it before now?"  
"Father erred in a very large manner, agreeing to that duel. The shot was a through and through on his shoulder, I had been his second, and had to address the situation with his 'body'. He'd fallen completely unconscious and cold by the time I was able to get to him, and they let me have the mortician carry him away. I'd glamoured him to look completely dead, and once father and I were back at the house he kept, preparing for his wake, I brought him back to the Underground. Mother hasn't entirely forgiven me for not stepping in and being the one to fight instead of father," Jareth's gaze was a bit far off when Sarah turned to look at him.

The sound of the garage door opening on the outside of the house echoed, and Sarah heard her father's SUV pulling in. The interior door opened and the Williams family strode back in, cutting the discussion short.

"Sarah, thank you so much for starting supper. You should go change. Brenda and Michael are on their way, and they're bringing Nan."  
"You're welcome Irene," Sarah smiled, setting the potatoes she'd been peeling and slicing in the pot of water on the stovetop. "Jareth, did you want the first shower?"

"You take forever with all those bathing potions you insist on, so if I may, yes."

Irene wandered to whisper in Sarah's ear. "Go use our ensuite. He can use the other bathroom. It's two separate hot water sources, you can both shower now, and be done with it."

"Thanks Irene," Sarah smiled at her stepmother, walking over to take Jareth's hand and taking him upstairs, making sure he was all settled in with the bathroom that the guest room shared with Toby's room. She headed back into the guest room and grabbed her bag before heading in to her parent's room.

She showered quickly, compared with Jareth's predictions and was quickly in a nice, simple, fit-and-flare a-line floral dress, light makeup applied, and her hair left down, the asymmetry falling towards her face. Jareth stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel as she headed to drop her bag back in the room.

"Mmm, hello," she smiled, going up on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his lips. "Get dressed, hot stuff. My grandmother, aunt and uncle will be here soon," she was cut off by a yell that made her roll her eyes.

"Robert! Irene! We're here! Who's Prius is in the drive?"

Sarah shooed Jareth to go dress as he gave a quick appraisal of her outfit. Leaning down to her ear, he whispered, "I look forward to that dress on our bedroom floor."

"Go get dressed," she laughed, smacking his arm playfully before turning to walk downstairs.

"Hi Nan! Aunt Brenda, Uncle Mike," her smile was still broad as she bounced down the stairs barefoot.

"What on earth did you do to your beautiful hair Sarah!?" Brenda exclaimed, aghast at the short asymmetrical bob.

"I needed a change. I love it."  
"Robert!" his sister was thoroughly scandalized.

"She's twenty five Brenda! I stopped making decisions about her looks seven years ago. Besides, I've got bigger issues with her now."

Sarah's grandmother looked at her as she sat in Robert's favourite recliner. "You look happy, my dear."

"I am, mostly, Nan," she held the older woman's hand a bit, trying not to let her smile betray her too much.

"What's his name?"

Sarah blushed at the whispered conversation. "How'd you know?"

"There's only one thing that makes a girl this happy. So now. What's his name?"  
"Jareth. Say you'll be here next Saturday? We have to leave for London on Sunday, for his work, but we're going to get married here… Saturday… I don't want to be without him… he proposed yesterday," the pink in her cheeks subsided just a bit.

"Wouldn't you like to wait, have a nice big wedding?" her gran echoed Irene's comments from the night before, just as Jareth was coming down the stairs.

"Oh! Jareth! This is my Nan, Lucy Williams. Nan, this is Jareth Roy, my fiance," Sarah dodged the question and introduced Jareth to her grandmother, and elicited a shrill cry from her aunt.

"Engaged and we're JUST now meeting him?"  
"Aunt Brenda, we've been friends for years. Met when I was in high school and then again when I was studying in London six years ago. We honestly just started dating recently, he just came to visit me on a holiday. We ran into each other at an exhibit in New York City when I was down there for a meeting a couple years ago, with our bigwigs for work, and we kept talking on the phone and in emails. We've kinda realized we can't live without the other in our life," Sarah levelled her pale emerald eyes on her aunt as Jareth stepped up behind her, a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Sarah has been a valued friend, and a beloved confidant the last few years, and I couldn't imagine my life without her any longer," Jareth smiled down at her.

Robert walked into the living room smiling at his daughter. "Brenda, Sarah's finally happy. I don't really give a damn what you think. Oh, Sarah, we ran in to Judge Winthorpe at church. He said he could come today, since it's just him and his niece for supper, or Thursday, but not this Saturday. And he can issue the license himself, offered to stop by the courthouse and pick one up, if you want. We just have to let him know."

Sarah turned to Jareth, a shy shocked look on her face. "You did say…"

"I know love. It's your choice."

"Call him dad, I'll get Liz on the line. Jareth will call his sister, we can do this in a couple of hours, to give Liz time to get here."

"Are you absolutely sure, Pumpkin?"  
"Oh, hell. I have no idea. All I know is that I don't want to spend another day without Jareth by my side… I'll give it this, it's been one hell of a whirlwind, and I'm not sure of a lot anymore," she said, tears welling in her eyes.

Irene smiled at Sarah, having accepted the impulsiveness of this whole wedding, and Robert just nodded, heading to call the city's main judge. Sarah and Jareth headed upstairs to go make their respective calls, while Toby sat next to his grandmother, the two giggling quietly about Brenda's histrionics about the whole situation.

Jareth called his sister, who was all too thrilled to show up immediately. Sarah called Liz's cell and talked to the woman for a bit, thankful she'd picked up. Liz had thankfully been closer to Sarah's parents than the small town they both lived in, and was also going to head over quickly. Sarah could hear her family in the background talking, but wasn't paying much attention to it. Jareth was sitting on the bed, watching Sarah have a 15 minute conversation with Liz when Irene appeared in the door waiting for her, and pulled her into the master bedroom immediately after she hung up the phone.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

A beautiful ivory satin dress hung on the closed door, and Irene smiled over at Sarah. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to wear a white dress. I had this in my closet and figured I'd offer it. I'd bought it for one of your father's events, and then didn't wear it."

"It's great Irene, really. I appreciate everything today, and… I'm sorry we're upsetting the apple cart."

"Sarah, your father's sister LIVES to cause issues. Your grandmother and brother are laughing, she's being that ridiculous. She's on to tears," Irene laughed a bit. "It makes me wonder what she was like in the lead up to your father and my wedding."

They could hear the doorbell ring and Robert yelling that he would get it as Jareth walked past the room and padded down the stairs again.

"What are you going to do about rings? You don't have them…" Irene whispered.

"It's honestly OK. We'll get them when we find ones we like. Honestly, I'm just happy to have him forever, rings be damned," Sarah smiled slipping out of the dress she'd put on that morning and sliding the one Irene was loaning her over her head. A soft tap sounded on the door as the satin fluttered around Sarah's knees.

"Sarah?" Siobhan's voice echoed through the door.

"Come on in!"

Siobhan slipped in, a small bouquet of flowers in her hand, a bundle of four leaf clovers, red roses, alstroemeria, primroses, cape jasmine, blue hyacinths, bridal roses and ivy all bound with a rainbow set of ribbons.

"I figured you wouldn't have a bouquet. There's a florist near me that does WONDERS on short notice. The ribbon's an old Celtic lore piece, each color brings a part of a happy marriage," she smiled at her brother's beloved, winking about the flowers.

"Siobhan! Thank you so much. Oh! Um. Irene, this is Siobhan, Jareth's twin sister."  
"Hello ma'am, Siobhan MacRoy," she extended her hand.

"Irene Williams. That's fascinating that your married name is so close to your maiden name…" Irene took the slender woman's hand smiling.

"The heart finds its pair," Siobhan chuckled. "Lennon is downstairs trying to calm Jareth down. I don't know that I've ever seen him this nervous!" she laughed.

The doorbell rang again, and they could hear the door creak open before both Judge Winthorpe and Liz's voices echoed up from the foyer. Irene headed downstairs to go and greet the additional guests, leaving Siobhan and Sarah to finish getting her ready.

"Thank you so much for this Siobhan. One day you'll have to teach me the meanings behind all of these, even if it's just to get revenge on Jareth," Sarah smiled lightly.

"I'm sure we'll find time. Hell, this might just get me to move in finally. Gods know Jareth's asked enough, and I'm sure you could use someone to talk to," Siobhan laughed, reaching for the zipper on the back of the dress and zipping Sarah in before twisting her wrist and summoning a beautiful aquamarine pendant from the air.

"This is the necklace I wore for my wedding. I'd be honored if you'd wear it to marry my little brother. Besides, it would give you your something borrowed."

"Of course I will, though I think the dress counts too… Irene is loaning it to me," Sarah let Siobhan put the necklace on her as the door had another small tap resound from it.

"Sar?"  
"Come on in Liz."

"You are in SUCH trouble! Oh! I'm sorry!"

"Siobhan, meet Liz. The coffee peddler I'm torn to be moving away from," Sarah laughed. "And probably my best friend."

"Oh my! Leaving your preferred coffee shop behind for my brother? That IS a sad thing. It's an absolute pleasure, Liz. Were they all ready downstairs?"  
"Yeah. Sar… your aunt is absolutely utterly insane. She is still caterwauling about the 'suddenness' and 'lack of time to prepare'. I think I heard your stepmother's eyes roll in their sockets so hard they rattled," Liz laughed carrying the other two in to the snickering with her.

The first two ladies headed out of the room and down the stairs, quickly followed by Sarah, who was beaming and shaking internally at the very idea that this was all happening NOW. Jareth had been talking to Lennon, and stopped to stare at Sarah as she walked in. The judge ran through the bulk of a wedding ceremony, skipping the part where someone could object, because it had become fairly obvious that given her opportunity, Brenda might have done something crazy. She'd at least stopped caterwauling when she realized this really was happening, whether she was happy with it or not. Sarah's parents signed the license as the witnesses and both Sarah and Jareth had signed as well, before kissing and launching Toby in to a squall of fits over how gross it was.

Irene clapped happily while Sarah and Jareth were whispering quietly to one another his forehead leaned against hers, before heading to the kitchen to finish supper. Irene had added some additional places in the formal dining room, the table was well bigger than the eight of them would have needed, so it wasn't a stretch, and then called everyone in to eat.

"I wasn't exactly thinking this was going to turn in to a wedding dinner, but with the family gathered, what does it matter," she gushed as everyone sat down and started passing the food around.

The assorted crowd chatted while they ate, with the noted exception of Brenda who was now quiet as a church mouse, even though her own husband tried to engage her. Sarah and Jareth had barely let go of one another's hands, a fact that Siobhan had noticed and made her smile and chuckle. As dinner wrapped up and guests started leaving, Sarah hugged each of them. Siobhan whispered to her secretively and walked out the door, followed by Lennon. Liz started sobbing as she left, her uncle the judge following her. That had been a pleasant surprise for Sarah, and she had to wonder why they hadn't met before she'd moved to the sleepy town they had met in.

"Be sure to let us know early enough into it, if you ever get pregnant," her Aunt Brenda barbed on her way out of the house.

"Brenda! Stop it. Sarah told you this was a whirlwind. They're MOVING to LONDON for god's sake!" Lucy snapped at her daughter. "Sarah, sweetie, I'm so happy you found such a wonderful gentleman that loves you so."

"Thanks Nan. Be safe in getting home with those two," Sarah chuckled, kissing her grandmother's cheek.

After a bit more talking with her parents, filled with hugs and cries and laughs, it was Sarah and Jareth's turn to go pack up.

"Sarah, keep the dress," Irene said, beaming at her. "It looks better on you than me."  
"Thank you. We're going to go get our stuff and then head out. Work and all."

"Of course pumpkin," her father said, heading off to start straightening other areas of the house.

"Bye jerkface, and jerkface's husband," Toby snapped out, his attitude taking a full turn from the excited happy he had been just a day before.

"I love you too, Tobes. See you in a few months? Maybe you can come see me in London, we'll go check out all the cool stuff together."

"Yeah. Maybe. If you haven't forgotten me," the boy wandered off sullenly.

"Sarah?" Jareth asked inquisitively as they climbed the stairs.

"He hates it when I leave. Always takes it hard. I think this is the worst I've seen him."

Jareth nodded and they finished heading up the stairs. They quickly packed their few items, including Sarah retrieving her dress from her parent's room, and headed out, taking the Prius a few miles up the road before vanishing it and themselves. A small shadow watched from the treeline, a wicked grin spread across its face, above it a nighthawk staring at the very spot they left from before flying away to find a portal back to the Underground.

Landing in their shared bedroom, Sarah leaned in to Jareth and started spewing the real elation that she'd been stoically hiding. "Married. We're fucking MARRIED Aboveground, Jareth. I'm your wife," the ecstatic tone wouldn't leave her voice.

"Yes, love, it would seem that you are Mrs. Sarah Roy to your world now."

"I love the sound of that husband-mine," she kissed him soundly as Sian walked into the room.

"Excuse me… what did you just say Lady Sarah?"

Jareth laughed, walking over to Sian and clapping a hand down on his shoulder. "Sarah's apparently nearly as impatient as I am. She'd made an attempt to arrange our being married on Saturday, and it failed as the person needed was unavailable, so we were wed today Aboveground instead. I'm not foolish enough to incite Richard and Aislinn's ire. Speaking of which, we need to head to their home. Mother's trial…"

"Is postponed. She escaped. Aislinn has called all the siblings to her home."

"Even…"

"Yes. Even the renegade quadruplets, and the banished one. This isn't something she's taking lightly nor is she leaving any rock unturned. Should be a wonderful family reunion for you, sire."  
"Refresh the wards on the castle, renew the blessing on the Labyrinth. There is something nasty about this. Three weeks to Beltaine and she begins pulling this shit. She's got something planned. Sarah, dress for court. Armour preferably. We don't know what we're walking into," Jareth's mood and voice started turning dark. "Mother is going to wish she hadn't betrayed us like this."  
Sarah looked at Jareth incredulously. She was already tired, but this was something she couldn't exactly avoid. Tapping in to her limited, but growing magic, she could feel the pulse of the Labyrinth and beyond that, the Underground bearing its teeth. She put the same armour on she had for the end of the wish-away, her hair pulled back into a ponytail to keep it out of her face.

"I guess joining the fencing team in university was a smart choice," she murmured, a razor sharp rapier appearing in her hand, before she sheathed it at her hip.

"Oh, my precious. Would that I had kept you entirely secret until we were married and you had drank the potion. Instead we have this mess," his gloved hand touched her cheek.

Sarah's hand came to envelop his and they faded from the Castle beyond the Goblin City and into Aislinn's study.

"Your esteemed Majesty," Sarah curtseyed. "Lady Siobhan."

"Three of eight," Aislinn observed. All were dressed for battle, different outfits for their various roles. "Richard and Lennon will be here shortly. They were dealing with the nannies to ensure the children are well cared for while we're dealing with this mess. Talesin should be here…"  
"Now," the oddly coloured fae spoke up, fading into the room in his puff of smoke. "Where are the quadruplets."  
"The missive was sent. If they come…"

"Aislinn…"

"You knew we would come…"

The identical twin girls finished one another's sentences as they walked in the main door of the study.

"Jareth, we apologize we will not be able to attend the wedding on Beltane."  
"But, only because our duties to our husband's lands stand."

Sarah turned to look at Jareth, stupefied at how tight the bond of his sisters was. He gently took her hand and squeezed.

"It was always like Aelric and Wyrd to be late. Probably rounding up their spouses," he sighed, pulling a chair from the table in the room and bidding Sarah to sit.

"They're nearly here," Cerridwen's eyes blanked a solid blue, much like Siobhan's went black when she had a vision.

"So, big brother," Brigid walked over, inspecting Sarah, "who is this young lady? Is this the famed betrothed?"

"Brigid, stop being creepy. Yes. This is my beloved Sarah."

"Anyone that can traverse your Labyrinth whilst under challenge is welcome to me and Cerridwen, may your marriage be a fruitful one, Lady of the Labyrinth."

"You didn't. What the… DAMMIT Brigid!" Aislinn yelled. "Three weeks. You could have shown up the day after and done that!"  
"Jareth?" Sarah's voice was shaky at the explosion.

"Love, apparently you're completely one of the family now. Brigid has the ability to bestow an odd set of powers on people, and she rarely does so. After Lennon finally decided to accept the reality and drink the potion, Siobhan said Brigid showed up out of the blue a week later and proclaimed him a Lord of the Winds. He's felt the change in them every time ever since, even if it's a bare breeze. She's intrinsically tied you directly to the Labyrinth, you'll know every judgment the instant a runner arrives, and you'll be able to touch her more intimately than even I, the Goblin King, can."

Sarah looked at her near to be sister-in-law, a bit dazed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, I guess. I'm not really sure I'll be able to deal with that, but I appreciate it."  
"You're heart is pure of light. You are well matched to Jareth. And that Aboveground scene today tied you closer. You'll be full bound to one another on Beltane, maybe sooner even without the ceremony. It seemed appropriate to give you something more to stay for, with all this chaos going on around you."  
"I'm not leaving. Not now, not ever, at least not permanently. You lot are stuck with me," Sarah squeezed Jareth's hand tightly, smiling a bit.

"Wait. What Aboveground scene?" Aislinn demanded.

"Oh. We got married Aboveground, in my parents house. It was the only time not in the middle of the trial we could, unless we wanted to postpone it further," Sarah murmured, avoiding Aislinn's glare.

The High Queen shook her head laughing. "Of all the levels of impatient I have seen you pull off Jareth, this has to be the biggest one. Did you at least TELL someone in the family?"

"Siobhan and Lennon were in attendance. They live nearby to Sarah's parent's home."

"You'd like Sarah's family, Ais. She's an aunt just like Silverbell. Maybe worse," Siobhan laughed, pulling out a chair for herself and sitting.

"Oh no!"

"Oh yes." The laughter pealed out around the room as Richard and Lennon walked in, Sarah sitting there, staring at her beloved's family as though they were all daft.

"Did we miss…" Lennon started, a bit bewildered

"I told them about Sarah's aunt and how similar to Silverbell she is."  
"Oh goodness. I don't know how you survived that woman Sarah."  
"Never telling her anything? Hell, Jareth was the second guy I've ever brought home. The first, I was 17, and he was my prom date. Poor thing didn't know what hit him," Sarah chuckled. "I'll never say my family isn't over the top."  
The room settled and Sarah felt a magical prickling on the back of her neck, the small hairs standing on end.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Sarah looked around a bit frantic, trying to figure out where that feeling had come from.

"Cut it out Wyrd. We've enough to deal with, without you trying to terrify Sarah," Cerridwen spoke out, annoyed at her brother's antics.

Two sets of identical midnight blue eyes faded into existence, their bodies following close behind, hair as white as snow. Sarah looked around at the assortment of siblings and was shocked at the drastic differences in looks. Aislinn, Siobhan and Jareth all looked like siblings, damn near triplets. The twin girls were at least similar looking, having gotten their mother's dark hair, and the same pale blue eyes as three of their older siblings. But the remaining boys were the outliers. Facially, they shared similarities with their other siblings, but that was where that stopped.

"So, now that we're all here… we have a huge problem. Wait… where are your spouses Aelric and Wyrd? They were explicitly summoned as well."  
"Guarding our lands, much like Brigid and Cerridwen's. We don't have the luxuries the High Queen and Goblin King have," Aelric retorted.

"That's a lie, but fine. Maybe it is for the better, mother has completely gone off the rails. She's never actively attempted to attack one of us or our intended spouse, and she's now done both to Sarah and Jareth."

The quadruplets stopped to stare at Aislinn as the other three older children sighed, slumping in their chairs a bit.

"She's attacked Sarah?" a bewildered question came from Cerridwen.

"Aboveground. I… well.. I suppose we should start at the beginning. A little over ten years ago, I wished away my baby brother in a fit of frustration. Not knowing this ass had started falling for me, and I ran his demented Labyrinth with all his twists and turns. I won, not without some help from his subjects, but I made it through, won my brother back and thought it was done. I stayed in communication with his subjects I'd made friends with for years. Always fearful that he'd wander in and I'd fall for him harder than I had as a girl, because what the Goblin King didn't know was that his Champion had fallen in love at first sight with him. Our paths diverged, drastically. I couldn't take my vanity to university, and mostly was trying to run away. Until I found a strange orb at a shop two months ago, and my father dropped the vanity back off, about three weeks ago Aboveground. First Hoggle, then Sir Didymus tried calling to me. I managed to avoid those, but then the damn vanity started throwing the blanket I'd put on it off, and I had to talk to them. The orb spent quite a bit of time, acting like it had a mind of its own. One night, after a conversation with my friends, a bouquet and an apology found its way to my doorstep."

Jareth blushed a bit, the first real embarrassment Sarah had seen at their story, while she smirked at him.

"It wasn't supposed to be a date, but as the morning of just talking kept going… it became a date. We wound up spending a full day together, inadvertently, between aboveground and the Castle beyond the Goblin City, and it turned into a marked dislike for being apart. Part of the way through the week after, I decided to be rash and drink the potion after Jareth proposed. The next morning, I was heading back Aboveground to quit my job and cut most of the ties. When I stepped from the house, Titania was waiting for me outside my door, as though she was expecting me, alone."

As Sarah stopped to take a breath, Wyrd cut in. "Where on earth was Jareth when all this was going on?"

"Dealing with a wish-away," Sarah continued. "I managed to talk around in circles until she actually attacked me. I called Aislinn because I knew I couldn't call Jareth, and she was the first I thought of to deal with your mother. She took Titania, I handled my Aboveground business and headed back. By that point, the runner was about four hours in to his run, and Jareth had been monitoring some things. I'd joined him in the throne room he uses for those, as I'd felt a drive to learn what was likely going to be part of my future role. He asked me to keep monitoring things, as he needed to head to the Aboveground to deal with something related to the wish-away, and was gone well longer than expected, leaving me to end out the chase, with a rage-filled psychopath with a knife. Thankfully, I dodged his swings and Jareth showed up, just in the nick of time."  
"I had gone above, because I had been monitoring the situation with the wish-away's mother, who had been shot by the runner, the little one's father. She didn't survive and something didn't seem quite right about the wish-away to start. I was sadly right. I checked the house that everything had started in, and found a vial of a rage inducing draught that had been mixed with a memory removal one, and reeked of Titania's own magic. I headed back to Sarah's side as quickly as I could when I found it," Jareth recounted, not letting on to the part where the wish-away had been so abnormal it hadn't woken him from a dead sleep.

"After everything with that, we took a day to rest because the entire situation the previous few days had been so ridiculously draining," Sarah picked back up with her part of the story. "I still haven't gotten a full grasp on things almost a week past that, and that first day, I was damn near a sieve leaking magic everywhere. Once the day of the ball announcing our betrothal came around, we showed up early and discussed the situation with Aislinn, Siobhan, Lennon and Richard. We thought things were mostly handled after Talesin had keyed us in to the fact that she was able to reach out somehow and summon some family members.

"The next day, yesterday, in fact, we headed Aboveground to see my family, pull the proverbial wool over their eyes and replay Jareth proposing for them. And then… today happened, and Aboveground, Sarah Williams is now Sarah Roy. When we arrived home to prepare for tomorrow, Sian broke the news."

"Lennon and I were alerted only shortly before, as we got the missive when we arrived home."

"She's been gone for about half a day," Richard sighed, pulling a chair out and slumping into it in a very un-regal manner.

"Firstly," Sarah questioned, "is my family in danger? They quite literally know nothing about any of this."

"Unlikely. You're her target. She won't actively harm them to get to you," Aislinn said.

"You're wrong there, Aislinn," Lennon cut in. "She is quite near crazy enough to do so. She went after my elder brothers and their children around the time I proposed to Siobhan."

Aislinn stared at her brother-in-law, shock painted on her face. "I… I didn't know."

"No one by Lennon and I did," Siobhan whispered under her breath. "We dealt with it, threatened her, and she left them alone. But all that was before father…"

"That idiot is so so lucky it was a through and through and didn't do more damage… the addling being the exception," Talesin sighed out, standing to lean against the wall.

"Could father's mental decline be behind this?" Aelric looked his elder sister directly in the eyes.

"I doubt it. We found a way to reverse most of the dementia symptoms, and physically he's absolutely fine. A bit of muscle atrophy where the bullet actively hit him, but beyond that, it really was just the mental. I suppose we could try to talk to him about it," Aislinn sighed.

"Oberon will have no visitors, he is still under house arrest for those antics," Richard stated bluntly. "We need to figure out exactly where Titania will go and deal with her first."

Aislinn rolled out a map of the entire Underground, showing all the lands the siblings lived in and beyond. Markers were placed to show where known issues had occurred, and where Titania's previously favored hiding places had been over the years.

Scouts had been dispatched to check anywhere Titania might have gone, but the reports were coming back with no definitive sightings of the crazed fae. Arguments flew back and forth as they tried to tease everything apart, from how she managed to escape to where she could actively be at. The day rapidly spilled over to night, the arguments continuing well into the evening.

Sarah was exhausted, the fighting grating on her already fraying nerves, her body desperate for sleep.

"Jareth… do we have rooms here? I… I need to get some sleep. I'm exhausted. I'm worn and i just want to curl up and hide. This is a lot of fuss…"

"Love, of course. I'm surprised no one else has complained," he whispered quietly to her and her alone before raising his voice. "All, can we pick this up in the morning? We've been discussing all afternoon, and gotten nowhere."

Aislinn blinked, a bit surprised that Jareth of all people was the one requesting the break. At one time, he had been the only one willing to burn himself from the inside on lack of sleep and drive to deal with problems like this.

"I have to concur. We can start again first thing in the morning," Cerridwen said quietly.

The eleven of them stood and filtered out of the room, Aislinn catching Jareth's arm on the way out.

"Siobhan, can you take Sarah to Jareth's room? I want to talk to him for a moment."  
"Of course Ais. Sarah, shall we? Jareth shouldn't be too long."

Sarah smiled at Siobhan and followed her out of the room as Aislinn looked at her brother, a grave look on her face.

"You NEVER call for a break. What's going on Jareth?"

"Sarah is still recovering from her transition. It's not like we have really had a chance to rest. We went straight from the Night's Garden into that meeting with you, then she started on wedding planning and then the ball, and then her parent's place for their blasted celebration."

"You're positive?"

"Absolutely. Trust me, I'd know if it was otherwise Aislinn. No small ones until after Beltane. No THOUGHTS of such until then. Not even from you. I swear on it. She's not been complaining much, but I'm sure the craziness of this morning at her family's didn't help. It truly has been a long day for us, and I'm sure she's just tired. She'd have said if something else was wrong," Jareth's voice sounded worried even if he was downplaying it with his words.

"Sounds like you have everything well in hand. I just worry about you. You've been alone and on your own for so long, we all worry. Even if we don't say," Aislinn gently touched her brother's arm, a reassuring gesture. "Go check on her."

Jareth stalked out of the study and down the hall to his chambers. He could hear Siobhan arguing with Sarah, exasperated.

"Sarah, you can't keep that pent up. You'll worry Jareth if you don't tell him. It's NOT going to be a problem!"

Jareth pushed the door open and Siobhan stood and rushed from the room almost immediately.

"What did Aislinn want?"

"Worried about me. It's not normal that I'm the one asking for the break. Are you OK?"

"Well, I'm still terrified, I still feel like I'm constantly seeping tons of magic. Siobhan said nothing seems to be amiss, that I'm well enough, it just feels like I'm a draining battery…"

Jareth enveloped her in his arms. "Let's go to bed love. You need the rest… but.. Do you mind if I do a quick check on my own? Just for peace of mind?"  
"Sure. I trust you love."

Jareth sent his magic running through Sarah, confirming what he had told Aislinn, that she certainly wasn't with child, but he could feel the draining Sarah had been talking about. It was a small, almost innocuous spell, but he could feel tendrils of it wrapping around the magic Sarah now held, pulling it out of her slowly strangling it.

"You said mother attacked you Aboveground?"

"Yeah.. she tried to strangle me."

"Dammit. Come with me. We need to see Aislinn and Richard… now."

"Jareth, I'm just tired. It'll be fine. We can do it in the morning," her eyes started fluttering closed as she stood.

He grabbed her hand and was nearly dragging her down the hall to the High King and Queen's rooms. She was still fading to sleep as quickly as he dragged her, completely unable to keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time.

"Stay with me precious. Don't worry, just stay awake with me for a bit longer… whatever you do, do not fall asleep."


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Sarah's eyes fluttered closed a bit again as Jareth stepped behind her, just barely managing to catch her as she collapsed.

"Jareth, I just need to go to sleep. I'll be fine in the morning."

"No Sarah, don't go to sleep," he picked her up, storming the last fifty feet down the hall before shifting her weight to allow him to pull the door open.

Aislinn was sitting in front of the fireplace, a glass of wine in her hand, staring at the flames when she heard Jareth unceremoniously come crashing through the doors. Richard was speaking with some of the guards in the main hall still.

"Aislinn," Jareth gasped, frantic from what he had found. "Was Titania actively touching Sarah when you got there?"

"Shit. Sarah had grabbed her wrists with her bare hands. She spelled her a WEEK ago? With WHAT? And she's been doing OK so far?" Aislinn's voice was becoming shrill as she realized just how dangerous her mother really had become.

"Apparently. She's been a little more tired than usual, but not anything exceptional. I thought it was residual from the draught. I hadn't thought anything of it to this point."

"Alright. So then… what do we need to do?"

"I'll need the best healer in the castle, and Siobhan. And you. Hell, I don't know who or what to trust at this point, Ais. Make your best judgment call," Jareth's voice was frantic.

Aislinn stood up, sending out summons as Jareth kept Sarah talking, not entirely lucidly, but at least talking. He laid her on the fainting couch that Aislinn kept in front of the fire. As soon as everyone had arrived, Jareth started explaining what he had found, the tendrils of spell wrapping around the very core of Sarah and her own personal magic. He had been tracing and trying to keep her upright since he'd found the tendrils.

"Aislinn, keep Sarah talking. I don't care about what, just keep her awake. Elcor was it? You'll need to monitor her and make sure she does not go unconscious, that could make this well more dangerous than it already is. Siobhan, I need you share your power with me. And I swear on the sun itself, when I find mother, I am going to strangle her with my bare hands," the fury was seeping out of Jareth in waves.

Siobhan gently touched her twin and pushed a bit of serenity in to him. "Worry about Sarah first. We'll deal with the rest later. Now, brother-mine, my magic is your magic. As we were once in the womb, now we are again a united power."

Siobhan's eyes glowed a pale silvery blue as she pressed her bare hand against the only exposed piece of Jareth's skin, his cheek. Her magic seeped into him, and he started pushing into the myriad that was Sarah's new, personal, power. Finally the first threads of the curse Titania had laid peeked out, feeling a surge of new energy flowing in to Sarah. As he grabbed at it, Sarah's eyes flew open wide, pupils dilated, and her magic pulsed on its own, leading Jareth through the twists and turns the curse had been taking, digging in.

"Sarah, talk to me. Come on kid, for Jareth," Aislinn said softly, gently running her fingers through Sarah's hair.

"Aislinn… your mother is so dead. I'm racing Jareth for her now," Sarah muttered from behind gritted teeth with the first signs of lucidness she had shown in the previous twenty minutes. She let out an ear piercing screech as Jareth untangled a large piece of the curse that had been strangling a major chunk of her own magic.

That first piece opened the floodgates and Sarah's power briefly took over, showing the combination of Jareth and Siobhan through to the next large chunk of the curse, and Jareth's magic moved through clearing piece by piece, Sarah screaming in agony every time they unlatched another piece that had been weaving itself into her. Finally they managed to get to the last piece of it, and as they started untangling it, Sarah started audibly grinding her teeth trying to avoid shrieking at an eardrum shattering pitch.

"Just a bit left Precious," Jareth whispered, holding her hand as he worked. "We've almost got it," he pressed forward, pulling the last threads of the curse out and destroying it in one fell swoop.

Siobhan pulled her hand and power back from Jareth and sat, staring in disbelief at what they had actually just done. Jareth blinked as Sarah sat up almost immediately, fury rolling off her in a renewed surge of energy.

"Fuck your mother. Seriously. What the hell did I ever do to her?" she snapped, her vision wavering in her uncontrolled rage.

The healer quickly excused himself, knowing this was a family matter and Sarah was in good hands. He wanted to be as far away from whatever was happening as he could. The three siblings let Sarah reacclimate briefly, still slightly surprised at how well she had been fighting this curse without help and how quickly she had recovered once it had been found and destroyed.

"Jareth, get Sarah to bed. We'll discuss this mess in the morning. Richard will have the wardings increased and will make sure that no one can teleport within the castle," Aislinn stood again, dusting her nightgown off from having sat on the floor next to the couch during the small ordeal.

Jareth helped Sarah stand up and kissed the top of her head. They were all amazed at how well his chosen bride had been managing to handle things to start with, but now they were truly in awe at the unbridled capability and capacity she held. Sarah was still a bit weak, physically, even if she was ready to murder Titania emotionally. At Aislinn's dismissal, they started heading back down the hallway, Sarah leaning heavily on Jareth the entire way back to their rooms.

"What on earth did I do to your crazed mother?" she sighed, her grip on Jareth tightening just a bit.

"Stole my heart, destroyed a perceived six year betrothal when you showed up initially, stepped in to the role of my bride-to-be perfectly. You know, the usual things mothers hate," he smiled at the thought of his Sarah safe in his arms again.

"Perceived betrothal?"

"Apparently, she's taken my not being wed as a personal slight. I was betrothed to another fae in my youth, Aoife. Mother hated her and saw it fit to destroy the relationship, by making it seem that I had gotten a child on a human girl. I hadn't, but Aoife was despondent and willed herself away. What had really happened was that Mother couldn't stand the fact that I'd chosen a will-o-wisp as my love and future bride. I went cold for centuries. I'd have been the first of us to marry. At the time, we all thought she was being skiddish about any of us marrying. The quadruplets were still fairly young, and I wasn't yet the Goblin King, I was just a carousing young noble fae," he explained as he guided Sarah into their room.

"Then, about twenty years ago, she started bringing Katrina up. She's the daughter of one of my mother's troublemaking best friends, Ophelia. I've made it a point to say no at every turn, while still trying to help Katrina, we've been friends for quite a while. Those two, however, need to be locked in an asylum far far away from one another. Mother, however, decided that Katrina and I were to be wed, a few years after she started bringing her up. Six years of her insisting was grating…. Until I found you a decade ago."

"So basically, I've shattered her hopes and dreams for you to be under her watchful eye. Well, she's up for the fight of her life. From us and from all of your siblings," Sarah gazed at Jareth lovingly.

He chuckled, affectionately kissing her forehead. "Yes, Precious, you did. Now you need the rest. Let's go to bed. We'll need to be ready to deal with round two of looking through everything to find her. It's going to be another long day tomorrow."

Sarah nestled against Jareth, sighing. "I'm sure it'll be much easier to deal with now that she's not draining my entire life essence. Do we have to be dressed for a damn war tomorrow again? It honestly sounds like we're just… planning."

"I agree, it's less dire that we're actually needing to wear armour while we're planning. There again, if I could, you would be wrapped and locked up safe somewhere while Titania was found."

"Not gonna happen," Sarah smirked, looking down at her hand and twisting her ring. "Give me a hand with the gorget on this? And remind me I hate them the next time I design armour. I know WHY it's useful… I just hate it."

It was Jareth's turn to chuckle as he helped her out of the stiff leather. Soon, they were nestled in to sleep, the moonlight streaming in through the unshaded window. Outside, a small nighthawk sat, staring at the two of them sleeping in the simple bed Aislinn had made sure they had. After watching for a while, it took off heading out above the trees and towards a manor house in the countryside just outside the capitol.

Dawn broke and the sun filtered in through the leaves of the tree right outside the window. Jareth woke first before lightly nudging Sarah. Stretching like a lynx slowly awakening from a catnap, she blinked a couple of times, acclimating to their surroundings. The room at the palace was very different than the one Jareth kept in the Castle beyond the Goblin City. More feminine touches all around, down to pastel walls and cream fainting couches by the fire, which she had noticed the night before.

"This room is so not you, I don't think I've seen anything about you that has ever screamed 'pastel' to me."

"Ah… yes. This used to be Cerridwen and Brigid's room when we were younger… before they married. I… After Aoife passed, I took this one, the girls had been separated by then to their own rooms. I wanted out of the room she had decorated. I didn't bother redoing this one, just had a larger bed moved in to start with. I'm rarely here now, so why bother," his voice was purposefully flat, almost devoid of emotion as he tried to cover up how he really felt.

"I'm sorry. You really cared about her, didn't you."  
Jareth shrugged, looking Sarah in the eye, his left hand absently toying with the ring on hers. "At the time? She was my world. I felt invincible with her by my side. But she never challenged me. Never pushed me to be more, want more. She'd have been happy to simply inherit Ravenswood Manor, not that it was ever truly something that fit me. No, that was definitely a house suited to Talesin, the insufferable git."

"I'd like for you to tell me more, later, when we're through all of this. I want to know more about Aoife, and your siblings, and your stupid father… and about you when you were younger. I think we can leave your crazy mother out of it… I know all I want to about her," Sarah smiled back up at him, a teasing lilt in her voice at the end of her statement.

A gentle tap on the door interrupted their quiet verbal liaison, and both Aelric and Wyrd walked in, their faces exceptionally grim.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

"Aislinn has called all of us to the throne room, it seems there were developments last night, after we were all abed. You'd do well to hurry," Aelric sighed, running his hands through his middling-long mop, the fringes stopping mid-ear.

"It seems that there were more than just a few upsets," Wyrd's eyes had an odd flash run through them, one that Sarah noticed acutely.

The two turned and left as quickly as they had arrived, shutting the door behind them. Jareth climbed out of the bed and wandered to the armoire that was tucked into a corner of the room and pulled a dress for Sarah out, allowing her to dress while he dug through looking for an outfit he didn't think he would hate wearing. She thanked her lucky stars as she slid a well-made, high quality linen surcoat with three quarter sleeves on. The trim was a thin band with a woven maze on it. While Jareth was finishing dressing himself, she strapped her sword belt and rapier around her waist.

"Not that I don't trust your judgment about your siblings, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, and my magic capabilities are well outdone by their millennia or so of use," her voice was low, but steady.

Turning to face her, Jareth nodded as he offered an arm and warded the room behind them as they walked out. There was definitely a spy in the castle, otherwise Titania wouldn't have gotten free from the Tower room, not if he knew Aislinn as well as he did.

The pair quickly walked to the throne room, where Richard and Aislinn were seated on their thrones, glaring down at the head of the royal guard who was kneeling before them, head bowed.

"Ah, our guests of honor are here. Jareth, you should hear this directly from Archibald. You'll love his story," Aislinn's voice dripped with snide sarcasm as she gazed distastefully at her semi-disgraced Captain of the Guard.

"Well," Jareth's voice had slipped to the dispassionate tone Sarah remembered from his introducing her to the Labyrinth.

"Lord Jareth…"

"King, but move on," Jareth was invoking his rank and not allowing himself to be addressed as just a member of Aislinn's extended family, which didn't bode well for the situation the head of the guard currently found himself in.

"Your Lady mother bewitched the two young ones that were assigned to guard the cell. That's how she got out. They were dazed as all get out when we finally found them late last night. Had been searching all day. They wound up in one of the dungeon blocks, shaking and screeching about a chimera."

Jareth blanched a bit at the mere mention of the creature. Aislinn and Siobhan shared a knowing look as the other five siblings sighed and looked away. Despite his skin dropping a few shades in color, an amazing feat to start with, Jareth's eyes had an angry furor flaring behind them.

"Go on," he grumbled through gritted teeth.

"The healers are tending to them, but there were some feathers in that room… not sure what kind. Nothing the falconer's ever seen, raptor or not. I'm not sure what you all have done in this case, but there's definitely one of the more unseemly guilds watching you. My troops saw six nightbirds flying away round three this morning, all forming up and taking off to the southeast."

"Thank you Archibald. While we appreciate your forthrightness, there will be disciplinary action for your failings in your position," Richard's tone was droll. There were entirely too many things going wrong in his home for his liking.

The Captain of the Castle Guard was lead away by one of the Captains of the Royal Army, as Richard and Aislinn sat stone faced. The rest of the courtiers were quickly dismissed, and the siblings sequestered themselves back in the study, another day of arguing ahead of them.

As soon as the door closed, Aislinn was the very image of a wrath filled wraith. "She DIDN'T! She reached out to THOSE three. What on earth was she thinking!" The anger rolled off the High Queen in waves.

Sarah sat in awe and mild fear as she watched her soon-to-be sister rage. The rest of those in attendance seemed totally unphased by her tantrum. Aislinn devolved from screaming to throwing things against walls, starting with easily shattered knickknacks before escalating to some of the heavier pieces of furniture launched with little to no effort on her part. Her face had welled to a bright crimson bordering on burgundy as she screamed obscenities about the irreverence of her mother for instructions that had been laid out for her.

"Aislinn, that's quite enough," Cerridwen finally broke the tirade quietly. "You act like this hasn't happened in the past, under Richard's parents. Honestly, you're acting like she's attacked you personally and not the Goblin Kingdom. Jareth, what is your perception on this slight?"  
"We've known for quite a while that Mother's sanity has been slipping, that she was getting worse. Now, she's escalating. The behaviour towards my near-wife is reprehensible…"

"Near-wife my ass Jareth," Wyrd spit. "She's your wife in all but name. We've all seen it."  
"Wyrd," Sarah levelled her green eyes at him, the golden edges flickering betraying the levels of power she held within her, hidden though they may be. "You would do well to NOT play that game right now. I am not afraid to play it myself, and I am not afraid to defend myself in whatever manner I may need to. Jareth and I may be fairly near intrinsically bound, but I am not a shrinking violet, destined to be swept under a rug and left as just his spouse. We are set to be wed, but until that final moment, I can still walk away and go about my life."  
"You wouldn't!" The white-haired fey stared at Sarah incredulously. "You've already taken the draught!"  
"It's still on the table as an option. I could return Aboveground and never step foot back in the Goblin Kingdom, never be Queen and still be happy with whatever time I would get with Jareth. London isn't far for someone of his power, and we ARE wed there."

Wyrd's jaw dropped briefly before he realized he looked like a fish gasping for water in the air. Quickly closing his maw, he rushed to sit away in the corner, an angry glare still in his eyes, levelled directly at Sarah. She saw the self-same flicker she'd seen in the bedroom cross his eyes as he gazed at her.

Jareth leaned over to Sarah, whispering, a small amount of terror in his voice, "You wouldn't, would you?"

A tiny smile crossed her face. "Currently? No. If things get considerably worse, it may be the only way to preserve what we do have. It isn't a possibility I want to think of or have to do," her voice was low and conspiratorial with him before she sat back upright.

"Back to the situation at hand," Jareth's voice was back to its normal commanding strength. "Mother has become completely unhinged at the idea that another of her children is romancing a human. Her dislike of them going back to before father started sleeping with whomever he felt has only magnified and has crossed a line to homicidal from dangerously playful. We need to get a rein on her, and soon. I'm afraid she'll go too far, going forward."

"Jareth's right," Talesin spoke up, stepping in from the corner of the room to perch, sitting on the table. "Mother thought I would help her last week when she summoned me. She seemed slightly more frantic, a bit more wild of a look in her eyes as I stood outside the door to her cell. I refused to step closer to her, she had the look that she was going to try something desperate. I can't say I'd have imagined she would have gone this far," his voice was rocky, the actual betrayal issued by Titania finally sinking in.

"She never asked where I had been spending my exile. I travelled the dark parts of the Underground for a while, the dreary corners where my talents fit better… until even that part became too droll. So I went Aboveground and found a bit of a new lease on myself. The wilderness has been wonderful and the few humans I have interacted with were my breath of fresh air. Titania doesn't want to believe she needs them, because of all the hurt she thinks they have visited upon her."

Sighs and murmurs rolled through the room as they all tried to figure out the next best course of action. Nothing had been going the way anyone had thought it would, and things were starting to feel like they were the star attraction in Titania's very own three ring circus.

"What about the guards' cries of a chimera?" Brigid inquired, the first to speak back up to the entire group.

"Our ever so delightful cousins, or at least one of them," Talesin replied. "I'd had a suspicion she'd do this from the way she'd been talking. What in all the planes did the two of you do to her?"

"Honestly, I don't think that anyone but Mother knows. And I doubt she would tell any of us," Jareth stated dryly.

Sarah shrugged, staring Talesin in the eye. "Apparently, my sin is breathing in the general direction of Jareth when I was young and dumb at fifteen."

"Do you still talk to Katrina?" Aislinn addressed her brother, her voice considerably calmer.

"Of course. She was just as much against mother's madness as I was. I can't begin to say if her mother was in on it, but Katrina certainly wasn't," he mused, fingers twining with Sarah's, a quiet reassurance that nothing was amiss. "Why?"

Richard stood and quickly walked from the room, knowing the path his wife was leading the conversation down. Sarah looked over at Aislinn, smiling briefly, before turning to study Jareth's face while squeezing his hand. His face was a mask, not betraying any emotion as she gazed at it. Richard returned fairly quickly and shortly after, the very woman they had discussed strolled into the room.

The beauty that walked through the door stunned Sarah. Long wavy locks, the color of gold hit by the sun and sparkling amethyst eyes caught her breath. The girl rushed over to hug Aislinn, Siobhan, then Jareth before extending a friendly hand to Sarah.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Katrina, Princess of the Aerie. It was Sarah right?"

"Uh… yeah. I'm sorry…" Sarah shook her head to clear the cobwebs a bit. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth."

"She's being modest," Brigid levelled a knowing look at Katrina. "She's the Lady of the Labyrinth, the betrothed of the Goblin King. And thorn in mother's side."

A broad grin crossed Katrina's face. "I heard Titania raging to mother a week ago about, and I quote, 'one of those damnable human trollops' and 'her two eldest being the death of her because they couldn't seem to see sense and marry at their station.' Anyone that can rile her that much is a wonder indeed, and someone I'd LOVE to befriend. So, now that I'm here at your summons. What can I do for the esteemed Gentry family and their affiliate line the Pechs?"

"No need for formality," Aislinn declared. "We're here as friends, not politically. Mother has repeatedly attacked Sarah now, the last a festering curse designed to slowly kill her by sapping her strength, broken only last night. After a week of it tying further in to her system and her magics."  
Katrina stared at Sarah. "Hmm, you, little one, are stronger than you appear."  
"Just stubborn," Sarah smirked, Jareth's hand giving hers another squeeze.

"Katrina, when was the last time you saw Titania?" Talesin questioned, staring at the girl.

"The same day we got the announcement of Jareth's betrothal. She showed up that evening, bedecked in court finery and wailing at mother. I was too busy discussing a land allocation issue with father to listen to her much, but mother left for our country home the next morning."

"Of course! Aislinn and I will send the guard to go check it tomorrow morning first thing. You haven't happened to hear from any of her nephews, have you?"

"Absolutely not! Honestly the only member of the family I've heard from recently was Alva," Katrina shared a sly smile with Jareth and Siobhan.

"Well, you are welcome to your family's chambers here, as long as you may need them," Aislinn sighed out. "I can't say how safe they are, since the castle seems to have more holes than a sieve lately."

"Much appreciated, Ais. I'll send for Alva to join me, if that's alright?"

"Might be good to see if mother reached out to her, though, Titania had a ridiculous amount of disdain for your relationship as well, didn't she?"

"Why do you think she's been trying to marry me off to Jareth for so long?" Katrina laughed. "He's probably the safest from me than any other woman Titania could have found otherwise."  
"Flattery will get you everywhere, Katrina," a teasing tone escaped Jareth as he smirked back at her, letting go of Sarah's hand.

An attendant walked in, bidding the entire family head to eat. Sarah, Jareth and Katrina were the last to leave the room as everyone filed out.

"Jareth- thanks for the last few years. All the covering for Alva and I. Dad gets it, but mother. Well, she's not nearly as bad as yours, but she's bad. Let me know what I can do to help the two of you," Katrina wiped a single tear that had slid down her cheek away and followed the rest of the group.

"Why are we all sitting around arguing and talking in circles. Shouldn't we be DOING something," Sarah mumbled only loud enough for Jareth to hear.

"We're waiting for someone, anyone, to slip up. I'd bet Aislinn has some suspicions. And Siobhan's not had a vision of it yet, or she's holding it close to the chest, otherwise she'd have pulled us aside. Seventeen days and you're as safe as I can make you, Precious."

"If I live that long," Sarah sighed. "If there is an insider, we need to find them, and soon. I wouldn't put it past her to have an assassin out, gunning for me."

The two of them walked arms linked in to the informal dining room where the rest of Jareth's siblings were assembled and eating. Aislinn shot Sarah a pained smile as they sat and the attendants went through the formalities of serving and testing everything for the members of the family. The meal passed quickly and the entire group headed back to the study, Talesin hanging back to talk to Sarah and Jareth, passing Jareth a small piece of paper, some hastily jotted notes on it.

Suspect that one of the quadruplets is involved. Possibly both of the boys. Ais & Siobhan agree. Both are acting odd about the cousin's involvement, like it wasn't part of a plan.

"So Sarah, have you put any thought to the wedding? It's coming up rather quickly," Talesin said aloud as they walked.

"A little. Probably not nearly enough. I've got someone back in the Goblin Kingdom working on it," she smiled slightly, still not fully at ease with this sibling. "So, what are you plans if your banishment is ever rescinded?"

"That, I honestly couldn't say. It's been almost 600 years Aboveground time so I'd have to think long and hard," he replied, placing a hand on both Sarah and Jareth's elbows before transporting the three of them in a cloud of smoke.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

The threesome stood in a faerie ring in England, toadstools cropping up at the edges, Sarah able to see some kind of town in the near distance.

"You need to watch out for Aelric, possibly Wyrd as well. Something's not right with them," Talesin said, laying down on the grass.

"Says the man who randomly teleported us to gods-only-know-where with no warning. Why DID you bring us here to discuss this?" Sarah groused at him, folding her arms across her chest defiantly.

"It's a place outside of time. No one will notice we're gone. We can formulate and talk as much as we want. I hadn't thought to use one like this," Jareth sighed, sitting and leaning back on his elbows.

Talesin shrugged as much as he could laying down, staring at the sky. "They've been my solace the last 200 years. Somewhere I can go and feel our people while staying in the bounds of my banishment."  
"You could just talk to Richard you know," Jareth observed, looking over at his brother, Sarah staring at the pair, confused.

The pair continued their banal conversation while Sarah listened, staring at the two of them. "Anyone want to clue me in?"  
"Ah… well.." Talesin started, before Jareth cut him off.

"Talesin's lover had a regicide plan they were enacting. He got caught in the crossfire."

"I didn't think he was serious!"

"He was Richards younger brother! He was going to kill Richard and his father to secure the throne!" Jareth yelled at his brother. "I know you loved him, but for the gods sake, he was going to murder to steal the throne. Would he have kept you after? Or would he have taken a wife and thrown you to the side, possibly to death to protect his throne?"  
"I don't know. He's dead anyway, not like it matters. Christopher would have made an awful king. And I'd have been a worse consort. But we're not here to fight about my love life. We're here to save your love and your kingdom in the long term."

"So… what ARE the limits of the faerie rings?" Sarah inquired, dazed in thought as she looked around.

"They're portals unsolicited mortals can use to glimpse our realm. Timeless pockets of magic."

"Could we reverse one?"

"What do you mean?"

"Could we make it strip the magic from someone standing in it, instead of bolstering it, like it is now?"

Talesin looked over to stare at Sarah incredulously. "You really are as crazy as Jareth is. I can't say it's impossible, but it would take a while to figure out."

"We have two and a half weeks until the wedding. Could we do it before that? If we can lure Titania in to one we'd reversed-"

"Sarah, love, you're not some snack to lure Titania out. I won't let you-"  
Sarah levelled an angry gaze at the man that had shown her a whole new world in less than a week and a half. "Jareth, I lived without magic my entire life, I could just go back to doing that. You... well I'm not sure what you or any of your siblings would do for that matter."  
"You can't reverse them," a soft voice echoed from behind a tree. "I've tried to figure it out for centuries. No one has been listening to me when it came to mother."  
"Cerridwen," Talesin rolled and looked over towards the trees, "you can come out. You also could have spoken up a while ago, instead of listening to us fighting."

"Not in front of Wyrd and Aelric. You're definitely right to suspect something. They feel… off. Brigid is trying to figure out more now, they just don't feel like they normally do. Jareth, I would highly recommend heading back to your home. Sarah is in grave danger, and more so the longer you dwell at the palace, I fear."

"Cerridwen, no offense, but I'm in grave danger as long as I'm breathing for the time being," Sarah's jade eyes had a look of steel to them. "I'm not exactly the favored choice of bride by what is appearing to be a good sized chunk of your family."

"That… may be true. Well Jareth, you are the only one capable of garnering a private meeting with Aislinn and Richard. The rest of us are beneath their approach, considering mother managed to get most of her titles stripped, and we were all married off to whomever in some cases."

"You were not married off to save face. You accepted Louis's proposal voluntarily, it was not a forced marriage," Talesin glared at her. "You cannot equate mother's fuckup and error to your marriage choices."  
"Guys… Now is not the time to be fighting about any of this. We need to get through this and then, we can have all the petty arguments about who married whom for what reason you want," Sarah started laying into the siblings that were fighting.

"She's right, Cerridwen. Talesin - I will talk to Aislinn and Richard. Sarah, you are going back to the castle where I can have guards on you constantly," Jareth glared at his family, a mildly concerned glance shot in Sarah's direction.

"Like hell I am. I'm going with you," his beloved stood her ground, an icy look glared at him. "Let's just all go talk to them."  
Sighing and shaking his head, Jareth shrugged, sitting up fully. "Apparently, my Queen has spoken. Shall we?"

The group all nodded, the two boys standing fully, everyone stepping towards him as he summoned an orb to allow them to mass travel back to the palace. They landed in the exact place they had left from, Aislinn standing there, waiting for them to return.

"While I'm sure there's a reason for whatever the four of you did, next time, just let me know if you need a private space to talk in."

"Your Majesty, as the Goblin King, I request audience with you and the High King, the rest of those with me also in attendance," his words were formal, measured, and weighted.

"Shit," Aislinn could feel the pull of the formality she was bound to in her position. "Richard will meet us in the formal throne. The room will ward itself to our presence and hopefully keep the others out. I hope you have good cause for this, brother-mine."  
The motley crew headed for the throne room, a quiet aura surrounding them. The few staff they encountered fled their very presence as power was rolling off them in waves, including off Sarah. A couple of lower level courtiers stopped backing towards a wall and staring in awe.

"Sarah love," Jareth looked over at her.

"Hmm?" she replied distracted and focused on the task at hand.

"You're a little too pronounced with your anger. You do know people can feel when you're magic brushes theirs, right?"

"No. because we haven't had any time to talk about it, at all," she sniped at him, frustrated. "I'm sorry, this is all just so infuriating. We're talking rings around each other and not getting anywhere."

"We'll get through this. They're sending guards to the Highlands House Katrina mentioned. If we're lucky, they'll find Titania there," Jareth took her hand in his.

"I'd settle for some proof of anything in what's going on. Or an actual reason," Talesin grumbled as they stood before the throne room.

The grand oaken doors were carved with scenes of the great kingdom's past, and Sarah looked up at them in awe. Suddenly the doors swung wide open, in towards the room, Richard's voice booming out, and the group stepped forward.

"So you have requested formal audience then, Goblin King. I see you bring others along," the binding formality of the words sent a chill down Sarah's spine, as she experienced the leverage the power the Underground truly held for the first time and exactly what the formal request meant magically.

"High King Richard, line of Gentry, I ask an audience to address the situation regarding Titania, Lady of Dreams and her quarrel with my betrothed, the Lady Sarah Williams, now Roy Aboveground, Champion of the Labyrinth, and recently named Lady of the Labyrinth. Those in attendance with me have information to add to the discussion."

"The formal request for a closed audience is granted. If you are not of the Goblin King's entourage, you are hereby dismissed until such time the audience is complete," Richard's words banished everyone but the six from the room and automatically warded it. The doors slammed shut of their own accord, locking those in the audience away.

"What in the seven hells possessed you to issue a request for a formal audience Jareth?" Aislinn spat as soon as she could be sure no one else could hear them. "We are WORKING on the issue. All of us."

"The boys are acting odd. Beyond odd, really," he looked his sister in the face, eyes a mask of calm, voice as cold as ice.

"Aelric and Wyrd?"

"No. Jareth and I, of COURSE those two," Talesin stepped forward, willing to be a bit more brazen in his frustration with things. "I saw them hovering around Jareth's room last night after we all left the study, but before he and Sarah headed back. Nothing directly sinister, but, they were hanging about, almost as though they were waiting for something."

"You yourself said something wasn't right… that the questions being asked seemed off, so what do we do?" Aislinn began rubbing her temple with her left hand. This entire situation was bringing on the worst headache of her life and it showed no signs of slowing down.

"Is there any way we can trap them in their lies?" Sarah's voice was quiet, thoughtful as she mused a potential solution, letting it build. "We all know that we're at a matter of time before Titania is found and her plan unravels. How long it will take is the question. This isn't about a trial, not anymore. She's guilty as accused, we all know it."  
"We still have rules we have to follow, Sarah, just like Aboveground laws," Richard sighed, his voice calm, but the frustration of the rules binding him was evident.

"So start the trial in absentia. Either she'll show up, one of them will crack, or these cousins you all keep ominously referencing will show up. Any way you dice it, everything gets resolved and we're done fighting about it." Her jade eyes were as dispassionate and cold as they could get, far from her normal warm, inviting look.

The siblings all stopped the small side conversations that had been occurring while she mused aloud and stared at her.

"What did you say?" Jareth was the first to break the silence and try to get a handle on yet another one of Sarah's thoroughly unconventional ideas.

"Start the trial in absentia. We do it Aboveground sometimes. Either she's got some sort of solicitor, lawyer, counsel, whatever you call it here, and they're present, she'll show up or one of the ones we suspect will crack and come to her defense. Or those cousins you all keep dancing around show up, and then we think on our feet when it comes to them."

"That might be one of the most odd and insane things I've ever heard of… and yet, it might just work," Aislin cackled a bit at the ingenuity. "Is she always this resourceful Jareth?"

"This is tame, Ais. She's dreadfully brilliant at functioning outside the box. Which can be a great benefit when she's actually on your side," he said affectionately casting a sideways glance at Sarah, who was standing, her arms folded across her chest, smirking smugly.

"Let's try it then. I suppose she's right. Worst case is that Espen, Ilmarinen and Frey show up. I'm sure Alva won't be thrilled to see them, but if she and Katrina stay in their rooms…" Aislinn started thinking aloud.

"They won't. You know that as well as the rest of us do," Jareth addressed the thought before it was even finished.

"Well Sarah, it seems we have, at the least, a temporary solution. Jareth, has the request for formal audience been met and addressed to your satisfaction?"

"No. I have one more request," he glanced at Talesin and then over to Sarah, who nodded slightly. "I would request the High Throne revisit the subject of Talesin Pech and his banishment at the conclusion of the Lady Titania's trial. The Goblin Kingdom will gladly house him and provide for a life as expected for an unmarried sibling of two thrones."

Richard's face betrayed his shock at the brazen request. "We shall discuss the possibility of revisiting and shall take the offer under advisement, is that satisfactory?"

"I accept those terms, for now," the formality of the words sucked the air from the room briefly as there was a crashing bell ringing. When it stopped, the doors swung wide and the four siblings that had been locked out rushed in. Richard was still glaring at Jareth, his hand regarding Talesin having been forced.

"What happened?" Siobhan stared at Jareth, trying to get his face to betray something, anything.

"I asked for Talesin's exile to be reviewed," he shrugged, glossing everything over while Aelric and Wyrd stood so close, still staying within the bounds of not telling a lie.

"You two really are insane," she laughed a bit, a knowing look passed between her and Sarah that they would discuss further later.

"Siblings," Aislinn stood addressing the assembled family before looking out to the rest of the crowd. "Courtiers. The trial of Lady Titania Pech will begin tomorrow, in the formal hall. Please begin the preparations. As she has seen it meet to run, and we are anxious to determine if there truly is justice deserved to the Lady Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth, we shall begin the trial with Titania in absentia. She is welcome to join in her own defense."

The few murmurs that were echoing through the chamber stopped and many of the members of the court that had rushed in stopped dead in their tracks at Aislinn's proclamation.

"I hope you're right," Jareth whispered as he kissed Sarah's temple.

"I hope I am too," she replied, her face a mask of calm, while inside her entire body was a ball of vibrating nerves.

"Everyone is dismissed to their own bidding until supper," Richard's voice boomed out, sending the siblings to their own devices.

Siobhan, Jareth, Sarah and Talesin headed outside to the courtyard gardens and sat on some benches, just watching the clouds as they passed. Lennon had headed to check on the children and Siobhan wanted more information from the secret audience. Looking around for anyone that could possibly betray them, she managed to miss a small sparrow, sitting innocuous in a tree, but paying far too much attention to the group sitting under it.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

"So what did you really discuss?" Siobhan's curiosity was too much for her to wait until they were sequestered away from others.  
"Really. We discussed the throne revisiting Talesin's exile. Oh. Did you see the white roses Aislinn had planted in the water garden's elevated bed? They're a beautiful contrast to the mint and lobelia," Jareth glared at his sister, using flowers to tell her there were suspicions but secrecy was best at the moment.

"The ones near the bed with the orange tulips? They're absolute perfection. I need to find some near our home, though I fear it's the magic of this place that leaves them so beautiful," she replied, her understanding of the situation coming through in her words.

They looked around, and started talking of small things. Siobhan's children, Lennon's reluctance to move out of the Aboveground and back to the Goblin Kingdom. General conversations siblings would be expected to have, nobility, royalty or otherwise, punctuating just how boring they could be. The glamoured bird started getting restless and took off over the roof, Talesin's gaze never leaving it. A few minutes into their conversation, he had pinpointed just how interested the avian had been in them.

"Too close for comfort, I fear," he whispered. "You didn't have to ask that Jareth. I'd have done it eventually."

'And drifted, lost, still," Sarah looked at him, a knowing gaze on her face. "If they do change their minds, it would be lovely to have both of you at the castle. Really. You have made me feel so so welcome. Both of you."  
Talesin made a quiet "Harumph" noise, exhaling sharply through his nose. Siobhan laughed a little at his grouchiness in relation to being welcomed back into the fold.

"Jareth does the offer for Lennon, myself and the boys to move into the Spires still stand?"

"The Spires?" Sarah questioned, confused.

"It's the actual name of the castle. I'm surprised Jareth never told you about that," Siobhan's laughter was still ringing like a bell. "It's because of the tall towers and how pointed the roofs are."

"Now that you've told her the name that I hate for our home. Yes. There's still room in the castle. Hell, if Talesin really wanted, even with your lot taking a wing, there's a full wing he could have all to himself."

Another derisive snort escaped the younger man, causing Sarah to REALLY look at him. She could see that he was really contemplating what the offer Jareth had made meant, his eyes were distant, longing for somewhere to belong. The foursome was soon found by Lennon and his two boys with Siobhan, who were exactly the pile of mischievous energy Jareth had described, chasing one another through the once peaceful garden.

Sarah found herself watching the youngsters chase one another alongside Jareth, who they had pulled in to their game of tag. Her eyes misted just a bit at the thought that everything going as wrong as it has with the mess they were in would mean she wouldn't see Jareth like that with their children. The thought of future children instantly sobered her out of the reverie. This wasn't the time to be hoping for the patter of children's feet in her world, not until the crazy stopped.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Siobhan shifted closer to Sarah on the bench. "Yes, they are always this rambunctious. And yes, they do entice Uncle J in to their shenanigans regularly. And he loves it. He rarely gets older children as wish-aways, and he really does love them."

"I noticed that with my brother. And that wished away the little girl. Is that why he has the position he has now?" Sarah's voice was wistful and curious.

"Sort of. Father was his father's heir, but… he'd already been so far gone when Grandfather passed and the Labyrinth needs a strong hand to help guide her. She pulled Jareth of all of us, probably because he does care about them way he does," his twin explained. "I should have accepted his offer years ago, well before the boys were born. He really does need people around him, he'd gotten so withdrawn over the years because he was so secluded. Until the Labyrinth chose him, he'd always been surrounded by the chaos of a large family."  
A laughing shriek came from where the rumpus was occurring, Lennon and Talesin joining in on the game, laughing just as wildly as Jareth and the younger boys. Jareth grabbed one of Siobhan's sons around the waist and spun, swinging the boy into the air, both laughing full, hearty laughs. The two women sat, watching the chaos evolving before them, Siobhan's face a mask of maternal serenity, Sarah's a frantic reverie of what-might-be and what-may-never-occur all at the same time. Her heart broke a little at the thought that there might never be an opportunity for them to have this happiness with their own children.

Sighing deeply, Sarah rose, stalking towards the water garden Jareth had mentioned earlier. Siobhan called after her, bidding her to at least take a guard, but Sarah waived off the notion. She was desperate to clear her head. Thoughts of possible children were the last thing she needed, especially if she was going to wind up dead, no matter by whose hand, Titania's, one of the suspected brothers, or the weird cousin's.

Her head was a fog of messy emotion, a small part having regretted not having run day one, of having agreed to see every step of the way.

"A fine lot of mess you've gotten yourself into, Williams… or is it Roy now," she sighed, shaking her head to clear the mental cobwebs. "I suppose it doesn't really matter, in for a penny, in for a pound. Even if we are dancing rings around a mess we have no way to figure out."

She sank to the grass when she finally felt far enough away from the very source of her mental chaos to finally let her head sort it all out. The orb that started this all was a distant memory that surface, and she tapped into it, finding three odd looking men sitting at her kitchen table, Titania smirking at them, gloating from the corner.

"They'll never look here. And that stupid bitch is so impulsive...she'll pop back alone, just like last time."

"Auntie, how can you be sure?" One of the hulking men, said, looking over at the crazed faerie noblewoman.

"If she doesn't, my boys will bring her to me, that I can be sure of," a cheshire grin crossed the woman's face. "My boys do love their mama so, and would do anything to make me happy."

Sarah had seen enough, and rose to tell Aislinn what she had seen, before she heard a throat clearing.

"I wouldn't do that were I you," a cold voice said from behind a fountain.

"And don't even ponder the possibility of calling out. They won't hear you."

"Fuck," Sarah whispered, realizing the error her rashness had caused her to make. Slowly turning, she found herself facing both Wyrd and Aelric. Sighing, she looked at them incredulously.

"Mother will be so proud we managed to get you here alone finally," a smug expression crossed both their faces as Aelric continued.

Sarah's hand fell to the sword she still wore, and as she breathed out, she whispered under her breath, "Say your right words," hoping to figure out what those words might actually be at this point.

A dawning crossed Wyrd's face and he started running for Sarah, trying to tackle her before anything with weight could be said, just as her face dawned with an enlightened look.

"I call forth a challenge, issued here and now, against both of you. Wyrd and Aelric, you stand accused of attempting to kidnap the Lady of the Labyrinth, betrothed of its King. What say you to this challenge issued?"

Sarah's eyes glowed, gold rings outside the green. The adult fae that had previously been in the other part of the garden came running at the pull of old magics. As they entered the water garden, they saw the ring of magic dropping around Sarah and the twin boys, locking the challenge in place.

"As two have conspired, so they are the other's second. As such, I am entitled to my own. I call Talesin as my second," Sarah's voice was clear, and concise.

Talesin was shifted from outside the ring guarding the challenge from interference to stand next to Sarah, paired stiletto daggers in his hands. Jareth's face was filled with perceived betrayal that his beloved had not chosen him as her second. The look faded into the realization that he would have been rash in his attempts to guard her instead of working to end the challenge appropriately, and that she knew exactly what she was doing. Talesin looked over at Sarah briefly, checking her face for any betrayal of why she had chosen the way she did, but her visage was calm and collected.

The passing fear of their actual situation dawned on Wyrd as he nudged his brother forward, frantically looking for any manner of escape from the now-deadly scene. Sarah's face shifted, a glow surrounding her as she stepped forward, her rapier flashing to a razor-sharp sabre as it came loose from its sheath, the magic of the Underground conforming it to what it needed to be. Aelric pulled a short sword of his own out of the air as he tried to size her up. She feigned forward, a practice slice of the air, and he jumped a bit.

"Scared Aelric? You can forfeit you know," her voice dripped with sweet sarcasm, like honey and nightshade would sound together. "But I'm sure Titania would be so disappointed. What did she promise? My husband's throne? My lands? The world in the palm of your hand? Nothing she's actually got the right or capability to promise, I'm sure."

Sarah stepped forward again, lashing out with the force of the Labyrinth's magic behind her, catching Aelric with a phantom blade, drawing first blood.

"Oops," she snarled, her eyes shifting again, the pupils nearly completely overtaking the iris. A light wind kicked up and the soft linen of her dress fluttered just a bit. Sarah was a vision of rage and power.

The fight was truly on from that moment. As Aelric and Sarah clashed, Talesin was watching Wyrd attempt to find a way out of the circle. The clatter of Aelric's swing being effortlessly blocked by Sarah made the white haired fey jump and then collapse to the ground crying. Talesin temporarily stripped his brother's magics and bound him as best he could while Sarah continued pressing Aelric.

Swords clashed and clattered second by second and while Sarah didn't seem phased, Aelric was already obviously fatiguing. This is what the stories of old had meant about duels being the arbiter of justice. The magic and weight of the words bound the duel to end in favor of the one wronged.

Flashes of light and crashing of metal on metal continued resounding off the walls of the garden. Talesin stood, glaring at Wyrd, protecting him from accidentally being stepped on, as he still lay, shaking in terror on the ground. Sarah was a vision, hair whipping wildly around her as she turned and moved, blocking every thrust and attack Aelric could muster in her direction. A wicked grin had crossed her face as she charged forward, stepping just inside his guard and his capability to stop any of her attacks.

"You know, you can make this stop any time," Sarah snarled at him, advancing and turning him the other direction.

"Like hell I will," Aelric retorted, swinging wildly trying to intimidate her.

She continued pressing him, constantly putting the white-haired fey on the defensive, never relenting in her furor. Finally, there was a dull clinking of a sword hitting the ground and Aelric collapsed, Sarah's sword at his throat.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

"Do you yield?"

"Mother will never…"

"I don't give a flying fuck what your irreparable blood stain of a mother will do. Do. You. Yield? Or do you accept the sword and your fate?" Sarah's voice was utterly dispassionate.

Aelric glared up at Sarah defiantly. "You wouldn't."

"Challenge was issued. You accepted. Justice was decided. You obviously have no desire to live, nor to answer to your crimes. May your spouse find peace," Sarah's words rang out and the same loud, dull bell sounded as her blade easily ripped through flesh and bone, taking Aelric's head with it.

"Do you yield, Wyrd?" power pulsed from her as she glared over at the cowering fey.

"I yield, Lady of the Labyrinth. And I will tell all in the trial, there is no need to move further against me," the coward's words rang true as the barriers fell.

Sarah turned and ran to Jareth, blood still dripping off her sword, her look wild and horrified at what she had just done. She stared at him for a brief second before collapsing into his arms, sobs wracking her once absolutely empowered body, completely unravelling as she processed exactly what had just happened. As Jareth finally started getting Sarah to calm down, Aislinn walked slowly into the garden. Sarah's eyes were red and puffy as she looked up at the High Queen.

"I always knew those two were idiots," Aislinn sighed, staring at the mess. "I'll take it that things got bad?"

"Understatement of the year," Sarah coughed out, her body still recovering from the sobbing fit. "I fucked up, royally." A small, ironic chuckle escaped her at the irony of her words. "I shouldn't have gone off on my own. I just… I needed the space. My head was getting fuzzy. I… damn it, Jareth. I just want to be happy." Another round of tears started welling in Sarah's eyes.

Jareth helped Sarah sit down, trying to calm her again, even if only a bit. "Love, if you are not happy, then we can do anything, go anywhere that would make you happy. I would give up everything for you," his voice was worried.

"Jareth," Sarah sniffed. "You have done absolutely nothing wrong in this. This was me getting in my own head and scaring myself. You make me happy, you really do. I meant it when I said I'd follow you anywhere, would give up anything to just have you by my side, even for a small part of the time," her voice was still raw from the wracking sobs.

Jareth sank to the ground next to her, wrapping her in his arms as Talesin and Lennon walked Wyrd back into the castle and off to the dungeons. Aislinn sat on a bench near the couple, looking over at them.

"So, what happened Sarah?" the High Queen's voice was filled with concern and care.

"I got a bit too far inside my own head, watching Jareth running and laughing with Siobhan's boys and with the doubt that I would ever be watching him with our own children, because I couldn't even be sure I would survive this psychotic game of cat and mouse with your mother," she sat a bit taller, loosening Jareth's grip on her. "I wandered over here to clear my head and tried tapping the orb Jareth had left for me to find - the one in my cottage. Titania's there, with three men. I'm assuming they're the cousins you all keep talking about. But, I digress. When I was standing up to come find you, the dastardly duo were waiting for me. They'd obviously been waiting for me to slip up."

Aislinn's face betrayed her rage as she listened to Sarah's story. The Machiavellian plot Titania had unleashed was spiralling to ridiculous levels, and the High Queen was beyond furious.

"And we end with one brother talking, and the other dead," she uttered through gritted teeth.

"Yeah. I'm… I want to be sorry about it, I really do, but… It was Aelric or me. And I don't think he'd have spared me, unless it was to wrap in a bow as a present for Titania," Sarah laid a hand on Jareth's leg, looking over at him. "And I feel like any apology I could give would be hollow."

"Precious, you owe an apology to no one. They were setting out to harm you, and they reaped the judgment of a challenge. I would be lying if I said I was not impressed with your skills armed," Jareth pressed his forehead against Sarah's temple as he spoke softly.

Aislinn leaned forward, elbows on her knees, fingers steepled in thought. "So then, I'm sure Wyrd will talk. You and Talesin very obviously have him terrified, no small feat that. Though, I am curious. Of all the siblings that have stepped up for you, to aide and stand by you, why Talesin?"

"Less skin in the proverbial game," Sarah shrugged. "He seemed the most logical choice. I couldn't trust myself had it been Jareth or Siobhan. I'm too close to them, and I would have acted more rashly in trying to protect them. Talesin has been warm, welcoming, but far enough away, by his choice, that I didn't need to worry. I'd also guess it was a subconscious drive to make him feel welcome in my life."

Jareth leaned back slightly to stare at his wife-to-be. Her answer had both been some of what he had expected, and completely unexpected, all at the same time. Never would he have equated the selection of a second to an olive branch.

"Aislinn, can you have our meal delivered to our room? I'd like to have some time alone with Sarah, especially after this…" Jareth kissed her temple, gently holding her again.

"Of course Jareth. Siobhan, walk with me to arrange that request?" the High Queen stood, addressing her near-forgotten sister in the situation.

"We should also probably find Brigid and Cerridwen. They deserve to hear this from us, and not the castle gossips."

They continued discussing the best manner of notifying their sisters as Jareth and Sarah still sat, a tangle of arms and emotions. A few moments of quiet reflection passed before Jareth finally released Sarah from his embrace and stood, offering a hand to help her stand. Looking up at him, her eyes welled with tears a second time and she began to unravel all over again. Jareth knelt in front of her, a grave look on his face.

"Precious, I care not what Titania thinks. You are my Queen, my wife, my heart. I will stand with you, by your side through everything," his voice was soft, his own eyes misting a bit.

"Jareth… what if we don't have a family? What if I don't survive this?" her voice was trembling.

"Sarah, my Sarah, you are far more resilient and resourceful than you give yourself credit for. Lets head back to our rooms, and formulate our next steps," he squeezed her hands, punctuating just what he meant as he stood again.

She gazed up at him, eyes still dewy, and sniffed a very unladylike sniff trying to breathe. A small nod from her and he aided her in standing, offering support as they walked back to their allotted rooms. Richard was standing outside their door when they got there.

"Aislinn told me what happened. I… regret that this happened in my home, on my watch. I completely understand if you wish to leave," his face was grave and troubled.

Jareth smiled weakly at Richard, supporting Sarah just a bit more in his arms. "Richard, you could not have anticipated the level of betrayal our own blood gave. We may head back to the Spires soon, but not tonight, and not over the first couple of days of the trial," his looked down at Sarah, his face wistful, "but tonight, we are sequestering ourselves and resting, today has been… trying at best."

"Richard, we appreciate the honesty, we really do. But no one could have foreseen this… any of this," Sarah's voice was still ragged from all the raw emotions she had spilled.

"Thank you, both of you, for the vote of confidence. I can't say I don't feel like I've managed to handle this, and everything since Father passed, beyond incompetently," he sighed. "And I can't say that even my wife doesn't feel that way."

Sarah gently took his hand, looking him in the eyes. "You haven't. Thank you, for everything. But, we do need to rest. I… I'm not even sure how I'm still standing," she chuckled a bit at her last statement, and how awful she knew she looked.

Richard nodded, squeezing Sarah's hand and patting Jareth's shoulder before heading to find his wife and discuss things with her. Jareth and Sarah walked into the room and found a veritable feast waiting for them. A crooked smile found its way to Sarah's face as she flopped on to one of the chaise lounges. Jareth sank on to the other, pulling his boots off and tossing them aside, before sprawling on the one opposite her.

"I wasn't expecting Aislinn to have sent the entire kitchen," he chuckled, waving a hand and summoning an attendant. "Please thank Her Majesty for us, she really has outdone herself. If you could also please take everything but the…" he surveyed the large amount of food quickly, " roast chicken and some of its sides, we don't need to feed an army in our chambers, tonight."

"Yes, King Jareth," the attendant rapidly moved, summoning assistance with ease and the room was quickly cleared as Jareth had requested.

The pair picked at the chicken, sharing a light bantering conversation, discussing nothing at all, engaging one another in a playful game of verbal chess. Peals of laughter escaped both of them as they exchanged teasing barbs, pulling the chicken apart, little chunk by little chunk between their laughs.

When they had finished eating, they both leaned back on their respective couches extending their hands to one another, barely reaching, fingertips just brushing the others. A small sad look briefly crossed Sarah's face and Jareth was instantly on his feet, pulling her to stand and enveloping her in his embrace.

Leaning down, he brought a hand to cup her cheek before kissing her deeply. Sarah melted into the kiss that said everything that couldn't be said aloud in the moment, and lent her the strength she didn't know she needed.

As they parted, Jareth whispered, "I may not be able to fight your battles for you, my Precious, but I can be here for you when they are done."

"Jareth… I… That means the world to me," a small blush crept up Sarah's face as she looked into his eyes and felt his gaze piercing her to the depths of her very soul.

"I would ask, however, that you stop putting me into situations where I cannot do anything to help you and feel as though I am the most useless being in all the worlds," he looked down at her, a teasing smirk on his face.

An annoyed frown briefly crossed her face, and she gently pushed him away. "Oh you insufferable…" she laughed just a bit at the annoyance and turned to step further away.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

As the pair separated, Sarah looked at Jareth over her shoulder a coy look in her eyes as she turned back to face him fully again. Crossing the few steps back across the short distance, her fingers started working the buttons on the vest he wore, before loosening the laces on the shirt. She stood on tiptoe to kiss him at his own height before pushing the vest off him, letting it fall to the floor.

A wicked grin crossed Jareth's face as he felt the silk fall from his shoulders and he scooped her off her feet in a bridal carry, whisking her towards the bed, working the laces on the back of her dress as he walked. A smirk crossed Sarah's face as she leaned up, kissing him soundly enough that the normally graceful fae stumbled, nearly dropping her.

Setting her on the edge of the bed, he slid the sleeves down off her shoulders and all the way off her upper body. He feathered his fingertips over her now bare skin as he knelt before her, as he shifted to kiss down to her exposed breasts. Sarah gasped, her head tipping back, opening her body further to Jareth's touch.

Gently he pulled the dress further down, slipping it to her hips. A cheshire grin spread across his face as he shimmied the fabric past her hips and down underneath her legs to fall discarded. Standing a bit, he kissed her again, pushing lightly against her shoulders so she fell backwards, with him leaning over her. The light linen of his shirt brushed her skin and she gasped, eyes gazing directly into Jareth's.

He pulled the shirt over his head, throwing it to the ground with her dress before slowly trailing his fingers down her sides, barely brushing her skin, making Sarah squirm in anticipation. Slowly, he slid down her body, kissing and nipping, until he reached her already wet core, smiling a sly smile to himself before leaning in and using his tongue enthusiastically on her already sensitive nub. His fingers pressed deeply inside as he used the flat of his tongue to apply a bit of pressure. Sarah moaned and arched as her body started flushing with the warmth that accompanied her climax. Crying out in pleasure, her hands wrenched the sheets beneath her as she looked down her body, eyes hazy and unfocused. Jareth leaned back, and slid back up her body, before kissing her soundly. She could still taste herself on his lips and a mischievous spark glinted in her eye. She fought to sit up slightly, against the pressure of Jareth nearly laying atop her, and tried to slide to the floor to return the favor. Jareth stopped her, grabbing her waist and gently tossing her a bit further back on the bed.

"Oh no you don't love. This is about you right now. I want to watch every bit of pleasure roll through your face… and oh will I," the wicked grin crossed his face again and she caught his eyes.

"What if that IS what I want, what would bring me absolute pleasure?" Sarah teased back, sitting up to move again.

Jareth's face betrayed his shock at how quickly her brazen ever-so-human nature surfaced again. The battle of wanting to control the situation, neither of them really wanting to yield to the other danced viciously between the two of them. Sliding towards the edge of the bed again, Sarah landed on her knees, pushing Jareth to stand, her hands working the laces of his breeches. A soft smirk crossed her face as she slid the doe leather down his legs, freeing him.

Basal desire crossed Sarah's face as she licked her lips, before parting them and enveloping him in her mouth, a gentle sucking, her tongue working underneath. Jareth gasped, his fingers twinning in Sarah's hair, a soft moan escaping him as his eyes rolled back in his head a bit.

"Precious, please. Stop. You are going to be the utter undoing of me," he gasped out, trying to push her away a bit.

Sarah slid back, suctioning as she moved, hearing him cry out a bit as she did so. His eyes were a bit cloudy, and he pulled Sarah to her feet again before pushing her back to fall on the bed again, a feral look in his eyes. He slid back to his knees, diving to nearly devour her, his tongue working along her sensitive bud again, teasing and pulling another cry of passion out of her.

"Please Jareth. Gods please please just take me," her voice was cracking as she succumbed to his ministrations, her body shuddering as the pleasure overcame her.

Jareth smiled a wicked smile against her skin and continued winding his tongue around her, dragging the keening coos out of her as she moved ever closer to the precipice again. Her hands tangled in the sheets and her back arched as her muscles twitched involuntarily, the nerves firing in random patterns as her passion drove her down the road to release. Her voice was growing slightly hoarse as she crooned out Jareth's name over and over again, the breath hitching in her throat as she rode the waves of pleasure.

Sarah's eyes rolled back in her head a second time as her body shuddered through its second climax. Jareth stood again, fully divesting his breeches and leaning over Sarah again, gazing lovingly down at the woman he would willingly give his world up for. She purred a contented sigh as he gently pressed into her, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck. She leaned up to kiss him soundly, pressing her entire body against his, arching in time with his thrusts, the two of them inching the other closer to a shared orgasm. Leaning back slightly, Sarah's jade eyes caught Jareth's mismatched blue, all the fire of her passion for him burning in her gaze. His pace quickened as she involuntarily fluttered her eyelids half-closed and strangled another scream in her throat. The reaction she had to a third climax in one session pulled him along with her, a soft groan escaping him as he spent in her.

Rolling just to the side to avoid crushing her, Jareth lay on his side facing his beloved, holding her close to him. A blissful look was on her face as she drowsed just a little. After a few minutes of just watching her, he stood up and gingerly lifted Sarah, sliding her under the covers to protestations that she was able to do so herself. Kissing her temple he cooed reassurances that he knew she was capable, but just wanted to dote on her.

The pair were fast aslumber almost as soon as Jareth had climbed under the covers next to her, his arm protectively thrown over and around Sarah. In the tree near the windowsill, yet another nighthawk glared angrily at the demonstration of pure, unadulterated love it had seen from the two beings in the room.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

The nighthawk took off in a huff, ruffled feathers and started heading for a manor just outside the capitol's edges. It would have made it, had a certain resourceful fey princess not set a trap for any birds attempting to sneak away. A smirk crossed her face as she retrieved the captured messenger and walked back inside to cage it until morning. No one messed with Jareth's happiness on her watch, Katrina though ruefully, acutely aware of just how late to the game she was on this one. Of course, she hadn't seen him quite this serious, or happy for that matter, not since the tragedy that had been Aoife.

The night passed quickly, most of the palace sleeping soundly, Jareth's best friend and her lover, his cousin, watching the bird they'd caught. The dawn brought stirs throughout the castle and at the first few threads of light streaming into her windows, Katrina took the cage and stormed to Aislinn and Richard's rooms.

Few attendants were around as the flaxen beauty stormed through the halls, leather pants creaking with every step. She pounded on the door listening for a reply for entrance, frustrated when no response came. After a few minutes, she pounded again, and finally heard the muffled, tired response. Throwing a door open, she stalked in, latching the door behind her.

"Your Majesties, I have yet another piece of this puzzle for you. I managed to capture one of their messengers. Titania has definitely enlisted my mother in her schemes," she set the cage on the table near the fireplace.

Aislinn sat up blinking her eyes. "Princess Katrina, are you impicating Queen Ophelia of the Aerie in Lady Titania's plotting against the Goblin King's betrothed?"  
"Unfortunately, I believe I have to. Her nighthawks have been crawling around the property at home since I was a child, and I have seen a few around here. I captured one last night. At the least, she has been aiding Titania by providing information," Katrina sighed, looking at the bird, which was shooting her death glares for a perceived betrayal.

The High King and Queen climbed out of their bed, crossing to look at the caged creature. It screeched angrily as Richard knelt, gazing at it at eye level.

"Foul little monster," he grumbled. "I suppose we'll have to summon Ophelia to our trial, and debate charges based on the testimony. Do you think your father is involved?"  
Katrina leaned against the back of the couch, arms folded across her chest. "HIghly unlikely. I'm not saying that he despises Titania, but he certainly makes it a point to find anything to do that doesn't have him nearby when she comes to call on mother. I'd recommend calling him to the stand, as well, to be safe, but I can't really see his participation in this psychotic folly," her voice was dry as she glared at the little beastie she had captured. "It's also fairly unfortunate that I can't say I'm all-too-acquainted with these little couriers. They've spied on me too many times. I'm sure they gave my mother a great number of disappointing reports on Jareth and I over the years, and well more distressing reports of Sarah and him in the last week. I wouldn't doubt they've been following them for a while."

Aislinn laughed a bit. "I am so glad the two of you are so close and you are not his intended. Though, I can't say my home would be upside down had the two of you decided it was an option," her voice was wry and jesting.

"We should dress for court to begin. Katrina, can you do a favor and stop by and let Jareth and Sarah know what the current score is," Richard stood back up, sighing a bit as he headed for his wardrobe. "Oh, and you also may wish to wear something just a bit more… appropriate for a formal inquiry."

"Yes, your Majesty," she sighed, standing and leaving the bird on the table, stalking out of the Royal chambers and down the hall to Jareth's rooms.

Knocking loudly, she glared down the hall, lost in a bit of thought.

Jareth nestled further in to Sarah's back, a discontented grunt as the knocking noise invaded his sleep. A few moments later, the knocking had turned to a pounding.

Rolling over he roared, "For the love of the gods, if you do not stop that incessant pounding, I will send you to the Bog!" He hadn't cracked his eyes open to see that they were not in their own home.

Sarah snorted quietly in her sleep and stirred at his bellow, her eyes cracking open. "Jareth. Love. We're not in the Goblin Kingdom," she murmured quietly, sitting up, holding the blankets in front of her. "Come in," Sarah's voice was still dusky with sleep as she blinked trying to wake herself up fully. Jareth grumbled at the intrusion and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist.

The door creaked open and Katrina slipped in. "Bad time?" she queried, swinging the door closed behind her.

"He's just being grouchy," Sarah looked down and over at the tuft of blonde fluff hidden mostly behind a sheet. "What do you need Katrina?"

"Jareth to stop acting like this. Hey, featherhead, wake up," she sniped. "Trials today."

Jareth sat bolt upright at the last statement. "Did we oversleep? Damn it all," his eyes were wild.

"You're fine, but there WERE some new developments overnight," she sighed, dramatically falling on to a chaise. "You're lucky I love you as much as I do. Rarely do I give up a night of sleep. But, I caught one of mother's little information fiends."

Looking over at the general area Katrina's voice came from. "Your mother can be so undeniably idiotic at times. I take it she's being summoned for testimony?"

"Richard's less than thrilled with her. Aislinn was a mask," she shrugged. "I'm more worried father went along with this insane game. I don't think he did, but, you never know."  
Jareth sat, turning to stand, Sarah's hand catching his upper arm to stop him. His head tipped back in a deep body-shaking laugh.

"Precious," he started, only to be cut off by Katrina.

"Sarah, I've seen this idiot nude and dressing more times than I can count. I'm not impressed and he certainly has nothing I would ever want," she smirked, eyeing Sarah a bit.

"Thanks for that unsettling reassurance," Sarah grumbled, letting go of Jareth's arm and pulling the sheets closer to her chest to cover up more.

Jareth slid out of the bed and strutted to the wardrobe, rifling through it for something suitable, dragging a pair of black doeskin breeches and a silver shirt out. Digging deeper, he found a black frock coat studded with tiny silver spikes.

"Ooh. Teeth out day one Jareth?" Katrina commented paying keen attention to what he had chosen.

"It's good to show force occasionally," he smirked at her, turning his attention to Sarah's wardrobe and diving in to find her something appropriate.

Hangers clattered as he slid things around, grumbling about a lack of suitable clothing until he laughed a bit maniacally, pulling a dress from the wardrobe. The bodice was a supple black leather, invitingly soft looking. The attached skirts were leather and silk stripes, pleated where they met the bodice and draping out to a very full skirt.

"I am NOT wearing THAT!" Sarah's eyes grew wide at the implication.

"And that's my cue," Katrina said, standing to breeze out the door. "Good luck, kingy. You're going to need it."

"JARETH!" Sarah yelled. "Are you even listening?!"

"No, Precious. Because you ARE wearing this. We need to make a statement, and this," he gestured to the strapless leather dress, "will make that statement. I'm looking for a necklace like that fine silver chain one… I may just have to magic it up. I was hoping to have it here already. Oh well. You need a better circlet for today, anyway."

Forgetting about her lack of clothing, Sarah stormed from the bed, furious with Jareth's choice of outfit.

"Jareth," she slammed the side of the wardrobe opposite the half he was digging through.

"Sarah," he stood up, gazing down at her.

"You will not get me in that dress."  
"Precious, I don't exactly relish the idea that I have to share you, leather-clad, with anyone else's view. Though, my preference would involve less skirt and more boot," he smirked at her.

Sarah's entire body flushed and briefly turned a lovely shade of crimson as she felt his eyes roving over the entirety of her. She'd never had any of her previous lovers say something so forward, or really be all that interested in her curves before.

"Aside from that, we need to show the other nobles of varying ranks that we are serious. Unfortunately, that comes with severe looks. Still a pity you don't have those long tresses anymore," he sighed a bit. "Well, you'll need me to help you lace this."

Sarah stepped towards him, sighing resignedly, "You owe me, so so much for this."

Stopping dead, Jareth looked her straight in the eyes. "Sarah, I'm afraid to see what you'll say when giving birth if something this small is a favor-demanding issue," his hand brushed a stray hair out of her face. "I believe I will find myself a lifetime of favors owed by the time we have just one child." He teased playfully, his smirk betraying him.

Sarah let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Let's survive this nightmare before we talk about children, ok?"

Kissing her chastely, Jareth smiled down at her. "As you wish, Precious."

He assisted her in dressing before putting his breeches and shirt on. A quick flick of his wrist summoned an orb and he passed it off to Sarah. When she touched it, it disappeared and a gorget-style choker with chain epaulets attached to it appeared on her collarbone, a heavier silver circlet on her brow. Jareth's normal crown sat on his head, riding low across his forehead as was his preferred style. He helped Sarah sit down before he knelt to pull a pair of knee-high, low heeled boots on to her feet and quickly laced them.

As she stood, she finally looked in the mirror, and was shocked. No longer did she look like a girl pretending at being the queen next to Jareth. She finally saw herself as a queen, the way he did. The circlet she now wore was a more feminine copy of Jareth's, barbed vines making a veritable maze. The chains at her shoulders, leading to the solid silver neckpiece were thicker than the ones she had worn just a week prior, meeting Titania for the first time. The corset of the dress had moulded itself to her curves perfectly, providing just a bit of a boost to her breasts, the chains surrounding them angling out to the sides mirroring a partlet.

"Jareth… I…"

"You look stunning, I accept your apology," he smirked at her. "We do need to get going."

Reaching over her shoulder, he handed her a pair of opera-length black leather gloves. Sarah took them, staring at him a bit confused.

"It's an expected look out of the Goblin Kingdom. Rarely am I ever seen without my gloves," he explained, his left eyebrow arching in expectation that she would put them on.

"Seems like a cage you've imposed upon yourself," she caught his eyes in the mirror while sliding the leather up her arms. "And one that beyond this trial, I won't be confining myself to."

A knock sounded on the door and the hinges creaked as it revealed Katrina and a petite girl, with long sandy-brown hair.

"Are you two ready for court? You…" Katrina looked over at the pair and paused briefly. "My mother is going to screech like a harpy. Too bad you had to break out the big guns before the wedding. This would have been a much better sight at the All Hallows ball."

"You act as though I'm concerned. The coward called it yesterday, we are married in all but formality," Jareth linked his arm with Sarah's and the foursome headed to the hall the trial was to be held in.

Katrina and Alva entered first, their titles announced by the phantom voice. Jareth released Sarah's arm, kissing the back of her hand.

"I know, I know. I have to do this alone, because that's how these things are done," she smirked at him. "See you inside."

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Sarah stepped through the doorway.

"Lady Sarah Williams-Roy, Champion of the Labyrinth, Lady of the Labyrinth, the betrothed of the Goblin King," the disembodied voice rang out clear, pausing before adding "Duchess of the Inbetween."

Sarah paused briefly, making a mental note to ask Jareth or Aislinn about it, before making her way down the main aisle of the court to stand before the High King and Queen. Curtseying deeply, they bade her rise. The false bravado she had put on wanted to crack and she quickly made her way to her seat in the front row. A hiss of whispers at her look echoed through the room behind her. Behind her sat Katrina and Alva and to her left Siobhan. Katrina put a warm, reassuring hand on her shoulder for a second, letting her know she was fine.

The disembodied voice rang out again, "King Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom, Lord of the Labyrinth, Knight Commander of the Order of Tyco." Jareth strode confidently as ever to the dais his sister and her husband sat on, bowing deeply.

He too was asked to rise and quickly moved to his seat, taking Sarah's right hand in his left. They were the last to arrive, a carefully calculated timing, as Sarah was the wronged party.

Richard stood, a golden crown of leaves sitting on his brow. "My dear assembled nobility, we sit here today to begin the trial of Lady Titania Pech. She stands accused of orchestrating the murder of a human, attempted murder of a noble, continued harassment of the noble, conspiracy to commit kidnapping of a peer, conspiracy to murder a peer, high treason, and a myriad of other violations of the laws we hold dear. She has also chosen to go fugitive, leaving us no choice but to start the trial with her in absentia. Are there protestations to my ruling?"

A hushed murmur resounded through the assembled nobility, but not one stepped up, not even Ophelia, who sat in the corner, guards on either side of her, her magic bound.

"Good. The High Court calls forth it's first witness, our own High Queen, Aislinn," the dull bell Sarah had heard every time something with weight had been done rang again.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Aislinn rose, her dress of deep purple silk rustling as she stepped off the dais to face her husband, a look of serenity and fire burning in her eyes.

"For the records, please begin with your name, then continue your testimony."

"I am Aislinn Gentry, High Queen of the Underground, wife of the High King Richard, daughter of Titania Pech, sister to Jareth, the Goblin King. I stand here of my own choice, to tell all that I am aware of," Aislinn's voice echoed through the hall as she launched into her tale of what she had seen over the course of the previous week and a half.

Some of the assorted nobles began asking their own questions, some Aislinn deferred to wait for Jareth or Sarah's testimony.

Ophelia stood, head held high. "Your majesty, what was your immediate opinion when your brother gave the impression the… Lady," she snorted, unimpressed, "was his intended."

"I was more shocked that he HAD an intended than anything. We had all just resigned ourselves to the fact that Jareth was going to be a bachelor until he chose to fade and named an heir of our children, between Siobhan and I."

Ophelia's face fell and she quickly sat, much of the crowd mumbling about the barbs Aislinn had verbally fired.

"If there are no more questions, the Crown releases Her Majesty, and calls the Lady Siobhan."

Aislinn graced the dais again and settled herself back in to her throne as Siobhan rose and crossed to the testimony space.

"Lady Siobhan," Richard gestured for her to begin.

"My name is Siobhan MacRoy, Lady of the Summer Winds, sister of High Queen Aislinn and twin to King Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom, and eldest daughter of Lady Titania Pech. I stand by the information the High Queen has provided. I have personally witnessed little, however, my future-sight offered vision of his Majesty being wed to the beautiful soul he is betrothed to. I stood witness to their ceremony Aboveground, designed to placate her human family," she spoke loudly and clearly so all gathered could hear and understand her.

Few questions were thrown at Siobhan, an angry glare being cast at her by Ophelia, who was struggling at the bonds blocking her from her magic. Other testimonies continued, small things, the Captain of the Guard telling the state of the guards that had been guarding Titania, the feathers and the odd nightbirds. Eventually, Richard called a break for lunch. When he did so, Sarah leaned over to Jareth and quietly whispered, "This seems very… railroad to conviction."

"It's hard not to in this situation, unfortunately. She has honestly made it beyond difficult to NOT run her down this road, Precious."

"I… was expecting more of a lawyer based situation when I suggested this," she sighed as they stood.

The break was almost too short to process the morning's proceedings as they ate a small repast. They all filed back in to the formal hall, Sarah and Jareth both stoic, his left hand protectively placed at the small of her back. Richard called everything back to order.

"The crown calls Wyrd Pech before us," the High King's voice rang out, booming through the room.

The doors at the back of the room were thrown wide open and Wyrd was escorted in by Talesin and two additional guards. They marched him to stand directly in front of the dais.

"State your name," Richard's voice was cold, still angry from the previous day's incident.

"Wyrd Pech, formerly the Lord of the Dusking Lands, Son of Lady Titania, brother to the High Queen, the Goblin King, the Lady of the Summer Winds and others in attendance. And today, I answer for my offenses against the Goblin Kingdom and the Lady of the Labyrinth."

His face was ashen, eyes focussed solely on the High King's face, avoiding looking at any of his siblings in his disgrace. An echoing silence fell on the room as he swallowed and continued.

"Lady Titania approached Aelric and I the day after the announcement of Jareth and Sarah's impending wedding arrived, and asked us for help in preventing the marriage from occurring. She was very insistent on preventing Jareth from marrying the Champion of the Labyrinth as she was titled at the time."

Another pause as he finally looked over his shoulder at Sarah and Jareth, a bit mournfully, before continuing.

"We had left things alone, mostly, until she used poppets and the old magics to contact us again after she had been placed under house arrest by the High King and Queen, locked in the tower confinement. We agreed to aid her, having heard Mother's side of the story, not having seen any of what was actually going on. Some of my shadows were put to follow them Aboveground as they headed there, while Aelric was working to make plans for mother's escape, reaching out for any favors he could call in. The night she escaped, my shadows watched them sleeping Aboveground at Sarah's parent's home. Aelric had been caught unawares by her actual escape plan, but he was willing to follow her lead."

The hush in the room deepened, everyone hanging on his words, waiting patiently to hear what the next charge would be.

"The next morning, my shadows started reporting back frantically across the entire day, the last after Jareth and Sarah wed Aboveground, and at the same time, I received a summons to appear at this palace, where we have been sequestered since."

"Between meetings to look for Mother, Aelric and I continued trying to find a way to address the issue of the Lady of the Labyrinth, as Brigid had proclaimed her. Slowly but surely, we formulated a plan to try and catch our little mouse, while unbeknownst to us, she had been a viper the entire time."

Sarah tensed at the description Wyrd had used for her, squeezing Jareth's hand tightly, trying to keep her face as still as possible.

"There was a hard meeting yesterday morning, and at the end of it, Jareth requested a private audience. I still cannot be completely sure what occurred, but it caused the continuing hunt for Mother to end. And then, Sarah slipped up. Or so we thought. She had wandered to a part of the garden away from the rest of the siblings, and we had her in our grasp. Until she called a challenge, and it was very obviously decided, as Aelric lays in the vault and here I stand, laying out that Mother was without a doubt seeking Sarah's death to prevent Jareth from making her his queen, the Goblin Queen."

Wyrd looked over at Ophelia, shaking his head in disappointment. "I cannot say who all the other players are, nor can I be sure exactly of the how, why or where…"

He was cut off as the doors to the hall were flung wide again, three imposing men striding in, staring angrily down the aisle at Wyrd and the Royal Couple beyond.

"What charges are laid against our aunt, the Lady Titania?"

"You are aware of her charges, Ilmarinen," Aislinn snapped, barely containing her anger at the intrusion to the proceedings. "Let's start with the attempted murder of Lady Sarah Williams-Roy, Champion of the Labyrinth. Or her fugitive status during the investigation."

The queen's face was a mask of fury, the utter disregard for the proceedings having incensed her to the point of inability to contain her anger. The hulking trio stalked down the main aisle, each step into the silence of the room thunderous. Sarah stood, the lone person other than the three, a dark angel in the midst of a sea of bodies.

"They're here for me, Aislinn," her voice was clear and steady as she looked at Jareth. "This is on my terms this time. Titania needs to come here first. Then we'll discuss her flippant disregard for these proceedings."

The air of regality that had seeped into Sarah's voice astonished the assembled fey nobles. She stepped around Jareth who tried to grasp her hand and stepped to the dais, a nod of understanding at Richard.

"I call Lady Titania Pech before the assembled High Court," Sarah had never felt more secure in herself or Jareth and his siblings, Wyrd, kneeling before her, obviously excluded.

A great wind picked up in the room and everyone turned to face the back of the hall again. The doors crashed against the walls repeatedly. A bewildered Titania stood between them, a venom-filled look on her face.

"You're not supposed to be able to do that!" she screeched, her mental unravelling becoming obvious to the entire Court.

Sarah smirked, planting her feet, standing her ground. "And why not Titania? Because it doesn't fit the narrative of me being the stupid human trollop?" her voice was warm honey and frigid ice blended. "Please enlighten the courts, my dear Lady."

A collective gasp escaped the assorted nobles as Titania struggled to move down the aisleway. Her face was a mirror of fury and frustration as she was having to fight for each and every step towards Sarah. Though she tried to speak, and screech like a harpy, no sound escaped her mouth. Sarah waved a hand and the doors behind the disgraced Lady slammed shut, causing much of the assembly to jump. Sarah was very obviously coming into her own with her powers, and was flexing her muscles.

"I'm waiting Titania. Please enlighten the courts as to why I shouldn't be able to do any of this," a flick of her wrist sent a plethora of lightning bugs into the air. Even Jareth was staring at her, mildly impressed at the show his precious was putting on.

"You aren't worth of the Labyrinth," Titania finally managed to croak out.

Sarah folded her arms in front of her, shifting her weight to her left foot, a stern, annoyed look on her face. "Hmm. Funny, Jareth seems to believe I'm worthy. I beat the Labyrinth's challenge ten years ago. Brigid declared I was more than worthy, when she proclaimed me the Lady of the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth itself obviously seems to believe I'm worthy, or it wouldn't be sharing its power with me. I think you're just jealous and incapable of dealing with it. Now, sit down and shut up. There's more to be said regarding your charges. I'm thoroughly looking forward to hearing ALL your co-conspirators tell their tales," Sarah shot a pointed look at the trio of brothers.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Titania found herself nearly glued to a chair, directly at the front, unable to do more than scream a tight-lipped muffled scream. Sarah's heels clacked on the marble tiles as she all but floated back to her seat.

Richard cleared his throat and looked over at Wyrd. "Continue your tale."

"As I was saying, though the players keep appearing, I cannot say how many there are, in the end, nor what mother truly thought she would get from keeping Jareth from wedding Sarah or anyone for that matter," Wyrd paused to take a deep breath. "I am fully prepared to accept whatever punishment the Royal House sees fit to bestow upon me."

"That," Aislinn glanced at Richard, before continuing, shifting her gaze to Sarah and Jareth, "is a matter for the Goblin Kingdom to decide."

Jareth sighed, leaning over to discuss quietly with Sarah, having suspected that would be the outcome, but not wanting to assume it.

"Precious, you're the wronged party here," he murmured.

"I'm aware," she retorted sardonically. "Can we defer while I think about it? I have questions I need answered first."

"Sadly, no."

"Ok, then what happens if his magic is stripped and he remains in the Underground?"

"He'll be stuck, unable to function at all, for all intents and purposes."

"Not thrilled with that idea. Honestly, I don't know how severe to go. I mean, he conspired in the plot to kill me."

"Given the opportunity, I would kill him myself, Precious. But again, you are the slighted party."

"So it seems I will be the benevolent ruler of the two of us," she replied, a hushed tone still. "Good to know I- ugh. Banishment Aboveground, magic stripped to live out a human lifespan? His poor wife though-"

"She's been checked out since his daughter was born. There is an heir, It's well reasonable a punishment," Jareth squeezed her hand lovingly before turning back to the throne and raising his voice. "The Goblin Kingdom requests he be banished Aboveground, magics stripped to live out a mortal lifespan."

A gasp echoed across the hall, and Titania's eyes grew wide as she struggled to speak, still bound by the power Sarah's words had held.

"The courts hear the request and grant it. You shall finish your days in the Aboveground, as a human, by the merciful grace of the Lady Sarah and King Jareth," Richard's voice boomed. The dull bell tolled and Wyrd disappeared, transported Aboveground, to a location unknown to all.

Ophelia took that opportunity to stand, screeching. "This is ridiculous. This is obviously a ploy of the Goblin King to overtake his siblings!"

"I'm sorry, Queen Ophelia, would you care to testify next?" Aislinn's voice was dry.

"With pleasure!" the Queen of the Aerie huffed, annoyed. She clomped to the front of the hall with none of the lithe grace her own daughter showed.

"To those assembled, I am Ophelia, Queen of the Aerie, mother to Jareth's ACTUAL betrothed, Princess Katrina."

Katrina snorted annoyed, while Jareth chuckled at the delusion the woman had. Sarah rolled her eyes while twining her fingers with Jareth's. She was more than ready for the delusional disaster this testimony would prove to be.

"Ophelia, I would caution you to state only truths as known by all from here forward, and not those you perceive. The High Court has never received a petition from his Majesty to marry her Highness," Richard cut her off abruptly, his voice like thorns.

"Hrmph. Well. A week and a half ago, my dearest friend came to me, thoroughly concerned her son was making a fatal error in tossing my sweet girl aside. I agreed and told her my precious little nighthawks were hers to use throughout the lands," Ophelia glared at Sarah over her shoulder. "I should have known he'd have found some vixen hell bent on seducing him."

It was Sarah's turn to snort in fury, and she leaned back to hiss at Katrina. "Your mother is so endearing," the sarcasm dripped like spilled salt water, leaving a film everywhere it touched.

Katrina chuckled, placing her friendly hand on Sarah's shoulder again, leaning forward. "You should try living with her."

Ophelia continued, her perceived truth spilling out. "I wasn't aware how dire the situation had become until my precious hawks returned information that Jareth had tied himself to the human girl Aboveground impetuously. Titania was nowhere to be seen lately, so I reached out to darling Frey and he offered to pass the message along."

Titania's eyes grew wide at the damning testimony and she began struggling to stand and speak again, her arms waving wildly.

"I also wasn't aware how far the vitriol Titania had for this girl went, only that she wanted information. So, I shall suppose I will be at the mercy of the Goblin Courts?" her smug look at the possible benevolence of Sarah plastered across her face.

Aislinn had a wicked grin, reminiscent of the same one Jareth got when he thought was winning at a Labyrinth run, on her face. "Oh, no, Ophelia. Your crime actually falls to the High Courts, as your beasts were spying on our property. You, you get to spend some time in our dungeons while we thoroughly investigate your involvement in these matters. If you are lucky, you will retain your crown. Guards, escort her Majesty to our royal cell in the dungeons below." The High Queen stood, gazing out over the assembled nobles, deciding the next course of action.

"The court shall break for the evening meal, and shall reconvene in one hour," her voice was as crisp and clear as it had been for her testimony.

The room cleared, Titania still nearly glued to her seat, the nephews crowded around her, trying to figure out how to free her from the cast spell.

"Precious, when did you realize you could do that?"

"I… didn't, to be perfectly honest. The Labyrinth gave me a nudge to not back down, and I think it just helped me along," Sarah shrugged, her arm wrapped around Jareth's as they left.

Espen charged after him, the same sandy-brown hair as his sister flopping. "You vile witch. I don't know how you've managed to bespell most of the family, but you will burn," he growled deep in his throat.

Sarah's jade eyes caught his deep red-brown ones, a small sneer crossing her lips. "If it is easier for your lot to believe me a seductress and wicked temptress, so be it. I am secure in the fact that I am neither, and you have fallen to Titania's woe-is-me tale."

A frustrated and shocked look crossed Espen's face as Sarah and Jareth walked away from him, Sarah lightly fuming about the lies being spread about her. She had known this would not be easy, but the volume of crazy being perpetrated by the currently silent Titania was spiralling out of control. Aside from that small accusation, the break was uneventful. As they returned to the hall, Jareth felt less of a need to protect his Sarah, content in the knowledge that she was easily standing her own ground in the proceedings.

The assorted nobles found their seats, all waiting for the next round in the trial. Richard cleared his throat, his eyes locked on Jareth. "The Crown calls Jareth, the Goblin King."

A gentle squeeze on Sarah's hand and a loving glance towards his Precious, he stepped forward, tugging his gloves tighter down on his hands.

"I am Jareth, King of the Goblin Kingdom, son of Lady Titania Pech, betrothed of Lady Sarah Williams-Roy, husband to the aforementioned Lady Aboveground. I should start the story from the beginning. Ten years ago, a girl caught my attention, reciting the story that had been sent above to incite the wish-aways. Fair of skin, hair of raven, eyes of jade, the promise of her beauty rushing in. And then she became a wisher-away, having hit the frustration of constantly caring for her younger brother."

"And as she defeated my Labyrinth, I found myself hopelessly falling for her. I had to wait a decade for her to see sense, and when she finally did, I chose not to wait a single moment and have gotten my beautiful creature to agree to be my wife. As soon as the announcement went out, Titania stormed into my home, making demands and threatening my beloved," his gaze landed on Sarah again and softened a bit from the severe frown he'd had previously.

"Two nights ago, High Queen Aislinn, Lady Siobhan and I untangled a curse that was strangling Sarah's magic. A curse that had been placed nearly a week prior by Titania, one that would have killed a fey of lesser resolve in a matter of a day or two. And now, we find ourselves here, addressing her complete disregard for the procedures and propriety of this court. She has dragged my cousins into this, and fed them beautiful lies because she believed it the truth. She is the cause of one of her son's deaths, and another being banished and left for death," Jareth's voice echoed in a booming timbre.

"Thank you for your input, Goblin King." Richard nodded at him. "The crown now calls Lady Sarah Williams-Roy, Lady and Champion of the Labyrinth, Duchess of the Inbetween."

Jareth and Sarah passed one another and lightly brushed hands as she approached the dais, a bit more reverently than the previous witnesses.

"I am apparently, Lady Sarah Williams-Roy, I have no answers about any titles I supposedly have, but I do know this. I love Jareth. I suppose I always have. I would give up everything, just to have him by my side. But his mother has a fanatical obsession with trying to kill me since the day she met me," Sarah's voice rang out in the hall, as clear and vibrant as when she called Titania to it.

"A night I accepted Jareth's proposal, I drank the potion that is kept in the Night's Garden. By the time we had returned, Titania was in the throne room causing a ruckus. We spent the evening with the High King and Queen, having addressed the first round of her… issues. The next day, I went Aboveground to finish resigning from my job there, and prepare myself to stay in the Underground for the most part. Titania lay in wait and attacked me, while Jareth was dealing with a wish-away she had orchestrated. She turned Aelric and Wyrd to attempt to murder me, leaving me to have to issue a challenge. She ran, knowing her guilt. Much of what I would say, has been said," Sarah looked at Jareth, a sad smile on her face. "But I would go through all of the hell and back again to stand by Jareth's side forever."

Sarah walked back to sit next to Jareth, when the shrill harpy voice or Titania rang out, "I challenge Sarah to defend her statements."


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Sarah's eyes glowed like they had when she had challenged Aelric and Wyrd. A small wind kicked up, fluttering her hair in the breeze.

"I accept, with a set of stipulations, as I am actually the wronged party. First: we shall fight in the Faerie Ring near Rochester, New York. Second, as I'm sure you will do this anyway, there will be three aides, you may have your nephews. I call Talesin, Lennon and Richard as my aides. Third: Aislinn, Siobhan and Jareth are to witness. Do you agree to my terms?" Sarah's voice echoed with pure power as provided by the Labyrinth and the Underground beyond.

"Fine, stupid girl," Titania growled, as they all faded to the ring Sarah had specified, one she had known since she was a girl in upstate New York. Jareth, Aislinn and Siobhan stood just on the edge, observing the encounter.

Sarah's favored sabre appeared in her hand as the bell tolled and the ring containing the fight locked in place. The three brothers shared a smirk as they hulked into place around Titania.

"Guys," Sarah's voice was soft as she addressed her aides. "Do what you have to. I'm done with her. One of us isn't leaving this circle alive. And I assure you, I will."

Jareth's brothers-in-law nodded as Talesin patted her shoulder. "Sarah, having had the pleasure of having fought at your side previously, you've got this.

Titania glowered at the easy manner her children had taken with her enemy. "If you're done with your touching discussion."

Sarah's hair fluttered in an unbidden wind as she stepped forward. "Bring it bitch. I'm done being menaced by you."  
Titania whipped a spark bolt at Sarah that whisked by her hair, ruffling it. Sarah responded the wind and some rocks kicking up, cutting Titania. A wild roar escaped one of the brothers and Lennon rushed towards him, keeping their interference in the fight between Sarah and Titania to a minimum.

The other two men charged into the fray and there was a large amount of clattering and crashing as the fight truly began. Sarah and Titania had yet to cross actual weapons, exchanging magical barbs between the two of them. Sarah was barely batting an eye in effort, her second duel in as many days. Titania screeched in fury, rushing towards Sarah, her dagger clutched in her fist.

Sarah sidestepped Titania's gambit easily, flicking her sword and catching Titania's bicep with the tip of it.

"We really don't have to do this, Titania. You could just accept the fact that you have gotten yourself in over your head," her voice was calm as she pivoted to stare at the recent bane of her existence.

"You absolute pile of human trash!" Titania snarled, lashing her blade out, a mistimed lunge. Sarah easily parried it and smirked, flicking a fireball at the metal.

Titania countered her attack with another sparkball. Sarah glared at her batting the electricity away with a breeze. The women continued their magical back and forth while their aides were tangling against one another.

A loud oof could be heard behind them, a voice Sarah didn't recognize before a sword crashed to the ground, clattering towards where the women were fighting. Titania's face crumbled and Sarah took the opportunity and lashed out again, catching Titania's arm again, a new wound blossoming and bleeding freely.

The shaken visage turned back to fury as Titania charged after her again. Sarah was calmer than anyone had seen her yet, a smirk reminiscent of one they had seen Jareth wear when he was in his own element plastered across her face. She weaved and worked around everything Titania threw her direction, while sending steadily more dangerous magical attacks Titania's way.

"Jareth, I think she's more like you than any of us could have ever thought," Siobhan chuckled, looking at Aislinn, who was chuckling quietly.

Lennon stood over Ilmarinen, glaring down at the man laying bleeding beneath him, Talesin and Richard having pinned Frey and Espen respectively. They bound the cousin's powers and mostly turned to watch the clash between Titania and Sarah.

"Titania, you've lost. Turn back before it's too late," Sarah stated matter-of-factly, her eyes glowing even more with their green-gold blending. "You can't win."

The crash of metal on metal reverberated again as Sarah blocked another of Titania's lunges, pulling magic from the Labyrinth to her effortlessly. Titania tried to pull the lightning to her again and failed, the spark in her eyes flickering a bit at the failure. Sarah's face lit up in a broad smile as she easily knocked Titania's dagger from her hand. Disarmed, her magic having rejected her, Titania collapsed to her knees, crocodile tears in her eyes.

"This is not supposed to be how this ended! You're the one in the wrong!" Her voice was a shrill cry.

"Titania, it is your choice how this ends," Sarah stood over her, a flash of remorse from how the previous day's fight had ended.

"I will not bow to a human, ever," the venom flew from Titania's mouth, a complete disdain for what Sarah had come from.

"So be it," Sarah said quietly, pushing the energy she had held outward, holding Titania in place as she lunged forward, her sword shifting from steel to iron as it pierced Titania's breastbone and sank through to her heart.

The three fey that had chosen to follow the deranged noblewoman looked up in awe of the Lady of the Labyrinth. She looked more imposing, the blood dripping from her sword as she pulled it free, letting Titania collapse.

"I would suggest the three of you make a very bright decision and accept your fates now," her dark gaze had turned on them, a magic aura pulsing from her.

"The High Court is welcome to issue our fates," Espen spoke for the three, his voice cracking as he tried to hold his emotions together.

"Good," Sarah glared. The words came unbidden to her as her voice rang out solid and clear, "I call the challenge fulfilled."

The dull bell tolled again and everyone was transported back to the hall, Titania's body laying on the cold marble. Richard and Aislinn ascended the dais again, the rest of the family returning to their original seats, all smoothing their clothing and adjusting their demeanors.

"Lady Titania's trial is complete. Her challenge to Lady Sarah was failed, the Lady of the Labyrinth stands the victor. As to the issue of Ilmarinen, Espen and Frey, the High Court judges them complicit in the escape schemes of Titania Pech and co-conspirators to the attempted murder of Lady Sarah. The Crown sentences them to death at the hand of the High Queen," Richard's voice rang out, a hush falling across the entire hall.

"The execution will be scheduled for three days hence," Aislinn stood, glaring down at her imprisoned cousins.

Sarah gently grabbed Jareth's hand, an odd serenity falling over her at the end of all the madness. She wanted to smile and laugh and jump in joy, but she also wanted to run and hide away from his entire family, having been the hand that killed their mother and two of their brothers.

"This court is complete," Richard's voice reverberated through the room, the bell tolling a final time.

Many of the assembled nobles filtered out, leaving the family standing in the room. Jareth stood just behind Sarah, his left hand on her back, guarding her.

"Jareth, Sarah. If you would like to attend, you are both welcome for the execution. We will also have the court to decide the issue of Talesin's banishment that day. He is welcome to stay in the Goblin Kingdom until that day," Aislinn looked at Jareth and Sarah, her face grave with her responsibilities.

"We'll be here," Sarah took her hand. "Thank you again, for everything."

Cerridwen and Brigid walked up to the assembled group. "Well it's done. I'm sorry it had to end this way," Cerridwen's voice was soft as her sister nodded in agreement.

"Who's dealing with Father?" Brigid questioned.

"I will," Talesin turned and stalked from the room, trying to reconcile everything that had happened in his upside down life in the last few weeks.

"Jareth, you should take Sarah up there," Richard looked at him, a stern rebuke building in his eyes.

"Oberon will choose to fade now that Titania is dead," Jareth replied dryly. "We have not spoke in three hundred years, and I have no desire to deal with his madness."

Aislinn shrugged. "It is your choice, brother. Brigid, Cerridwen, do not be strangers, visit more often."

"Maybe we will. With some of the changes in the family…" Cerridwen smiled.

"It may be in the cards," Brigid laughed.

The twin girls started walking towards the door, fading from view as they used their magics to return to their homes.

The remaining siblings walked out of the formal hall and to a small sitting room to wait for Talesin, not sure if he would be able to get himself back to the Goblin Kingdom, let alone the Castle Beyond the Goblin City.

"Are you heading back to your home tonight?" Aislinn looked over to Jareth, a knowing smile on her face.

"We'll figure it out once Talesin is back," Jareth leaned back on the couch he and Sarah had sat on, his hand on her thigh.

"Sarah," Siobhan looked over at her, "you seem to be dealing things a bit better than yesterday."

Sarah smiled weakly. "Yeah, I guess I am. Things feel… so much lighter now, like I'm free. I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder," her voice was as calm as a placid pond.

Talesin walked in just as Sarah leaned back against Jareth, her eyes fluttering closed a bit from the exhaustion of the long day.

"He's not thrilled," Talesin sank to a chair. "But he understands. Time will tell how he truly handles it."

"Talesin, do you want to head back to the Spires tonight," Jareth asked, gently running his fingers through Sarah's hair.

"I suppose we can. It will be nice to be able to relax in the Underground again," he sighed out.

The trio stood and Talesin transported them back to the Castle, managing to land them in the East Wing right outside the Queen's Chambers.  
"Hmm. Aim is not quite what it used to be," he chuckled at his miss. "I was aiming for the study off the informal throne room."

"It has been a while," Jareth snickered.

As they stood there, Sean rounded the corner and stopped, shocked. "Your Majesty, I wasn't expecting you for a few more days. I'll have your rooms prepared, I'm sure there's been some dust build up. Oh…" he gasped, seeing Talesin standing with Jareth and Sarah. "I suppose I'll get one of the rooms in the south wing prepared. I take it Aislinn and Richard…"  
"Approved it. We're heading back in three days to deal with the final bits of mother's trial, and to discuss lifting Talesin's exile. See to having both the north and south wings cleaned and prepared for occupancy. Something tells me Siobhan and Lennon will be looking at moving in here sooner rather than later," Jareth smiled over at Sarah, winding his fingers with hers.

"Yes your Majesty," Sean rushed away to quickly dispatch his staff to coordinate straightening a room for Talesin and preparing the Royal Chamber for its occupants' return.

The threesome wandered down to the Royal Chamber and relaxed in front of the fireplace, waiting and chatting. They were all considerably more relaxed, the biggest threat dealt with. Sarah leaned against Jareth, a broad smile on her face, his hands wrapped around her waist.

Somewhere along the way, food showed up, despite the late hour, a tray of pastries and a pot of a good Earl Grey tea. The conversation wandered over to what Talesin would do if the exile was lifted.

Eventually, Sean showed up and lead Talesin to his temporary rooms, until the court decided his fate once and for all. Sarah ran her hand through her hair stretching against Jareth.

"Can we go to bed? I'm exhausted," she groaned out, chuckling a bit, as she shifted and stretched, her muscles straining.

"Of course, Precious," he kissed the top of her head, his hands pushing her hips to get her to stand.

They changed and burrowed into the covers, Sarah falling fast asleep wrapped in Jareth's embrace, her easy breathing lulling him to sleep. The peacefulness of the Goblin Kingdom, as peaceful as a city full of Goblins could truly be, carried through the night and into the next day. As they slept, their dreams twined, their safety finally assured.


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Sarah woke before Jareth, stretched a bit and managed to slip out of his arms to go find Cecilie to check on all the preparations her assistant had completed for the wedding. The two ladies sat and discussed things Sarah was hoping to have or accomplish by the date, a short two weeks away.

"Cecile, I swear, everything with this wedding would have fallen apart without you. You have literally handled everything I can think of and it's perfect. I'd literally be wearing a toilet paper dress and carrying a bouquet of tissue paper flowers made five minutes beforehand if it had been left to me," Sarah gushed at her.

"You left some pretty thorough instructions. It was not that hard to just gather everything up, and organize it," Cecile blushed at Sarah's exuberance.

"Has Sean heard back from many of the people he sent invites to?"

"Everyone but King Jareth's siblings," Cecilie shared a wry smile with Sarah.

The queen-to-be laughed heartily, tears coming to her eyes as she giggled, doubled over. The laughter was infectious, dragging Cecilie along with her. The peals of joyous laughter carried out of the study they were in and down the hall. Sean came running into the room to check on them and found both women laying on the floor laughing hysterically, tears streaming down their faces.

"Is everything alright?" His voice betrayed his panic.

"Perfectly fine," Sarah managed to gasp out between laughs, sitting up.

Jareth came striding in, barely awake a bit bewildered. "Precious, what in the seven hells are you laughing so loudly about? It woke me up to find you not in bed."  
Sarah wiped the tears from her face, body still shuddering with laughter. "Your siblings haven't replied about the wedding."  
Jareth looked from Sarah, to Cecilie and finally over to Sean as he sat next to Sarah, taking her in his arms and laughing as well. The mirth in the room was high as they all realized how absurd everything seemed with his siblings not responding. As though there had been nothing going on in the previous week that would have prevented them from replying as though it was any other day.

"Sean," Jareth finally stopped laughing enough to talk. "The High King and Queen, their children, Siobhan, Lennon, and their children will be in attendance. May all the world help us with those two in attendance. Brigid and Cerridwen along with their families cannot make it. Wyrd is in exile, Aelric and mother are dead. Talesin will be here, when his exile is rescinded."

Sean nodded and walked over to the desk to update the guest lists. Sarah looked over at Jareth.

"I'm sure you have a ton of work you've missed while we were dealing with all of the chaos," her voice was mildly teasing, but the seriousness of his missed dealings coming through.

"Precious, are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Darling, we're discussing wedding things. Unless you WANT to deal with that instead," a smirk reminiscent of his teasing at the beginning of her own Labyrinth run was plastered on her face. The more time she spent with him, the more of his affectations she'd taken on, and he some of hers.

Chuckling, he conceded and headed out to his own study to work through his backlog of petitions and other assorted banal issues from the kingdom. Sean followed, preparing for a large number of explosions from the King about the absurdity of the petitions on his desk.

The rest of the day passed quickly, Sarah dealing with preparations for the wedding Cecilie couldn't have handled for her, like fittings on her dress. Jareth had spent his morning listening to petitions, grousing about them, and his afternoon talking with his brother.

After an early supper, the trio settled into a sitting room Sarah had never seen before. Conversation flowed easily, mostly the two brothers regaling Sarah with tales from their youth. She had never seen Jareth so at ease- even with her he had been a bit guarded in the past. The normalcy of everything made her heart sing with joy.

The evening passed quickly and the next day was more of the same, Talesin spending a fair bit of time with Sarah, talking through more of his future plans. A comfortable ease had fallen into the castle, a happy family-filled home had started flourishing, especially when Siobhan arrived for supper that day to discuss the logistics of her family moving into the North wing.

As the talks continued, Sarah found herself happily planning the influx of chaos into their home. The hour grew late and Sarah and Jareth excused themselves for bed, a word of reminder to Talesin of the importance of the next day and his own fate.

Once they had retired to the Royal Chambers, Sarah walked over to the balcony and stood, looking out over the Labyrinth, her hands leaning on the railing. She'd taken more and more to dressing in the styles of the Underground, something Cecilie had helped orchestrate while they were dealing with the hunt for Titania, making sure Sarah's closet was stocked with a variety of easy, comfortable dresses and skirts, and the one she was wearing fluttered a bit in the breeze, the light linen moving with ease. Jareth walked up next to her and leaned down, resting his elbows on the balcony railing.

"Precious," he started at the same time as she murmured his name.

"Thank you, for everything. I honestly don't know where I would be heading with my life if you hadn't walked back into it," her voice was soft, her eyes just a bit dewy with tears.

Standing back up, he enveloped her in his arms, whispering promises of forever and family to her. She leaned heavily against him, still trying to process everything that had happened in the previous two weeks. Jareth scooped her up and carried her to their bed, gently laying her in it before climbing in next to her, to catch her in a tangle of arms and legs again.

Quiet, mumbled conversation continued until the pair fell asleep, twined around one another as they so often did now. Dawn rolled around and they were awoken by Talesin grousing at them to get up or they would be late for the executions and subsequent judgment on his exile being revoked.

Sarah sat up blinking and shaking her head to clear it. This was the final step, or close to it. The inquiry into Ophelia's involvement was still in process and would likely take a considerably longer time still.

"Nngh, fiiiiine," she grumbled gently running a hand down Jareth's cheek. "Lover, we need to get going."

She climbed out of the bed, nearly falling from being tangled in the covers. Somewhat more gracefully, she headed over to her wardrobe in the room and pulled a gunmetal colored silk dress out and headed to change. Jareth had finally, grumpily, climbed out of the bed, Talesin still barbing at him. When she emerged from the attached room she had headed for, Jareth was dressed, her new circlet in his hand.

"Lady of the Labyrinth, your formal circlet."

"I liked the dainty one just a bit better… you didn't make me wear it," she sighed, the capelet sleeves of her dress billowing slightly as she walked.

"Yes, but we also didn't have repeated, ridiculous, court events."  
"True," she laughed a bit. "I meant to ask. They called out another title for me when we walked into the hall the day of the trial. Duchess of the Inbetween?"

"It's an adjunct title for the Goblin Kingdom, afforded to the spouse of the Crown, so you would still be recognized as a noble if I was to fade before you," he kissed her lightly. "I have no intentions of leaving you, ever, though."  
A slight nod and an acceptance of his words and she grabbed both Jareth and Talesin's hands, transporting them to stand before the throneroom of the King's palace.

"She's getting too good at that," Talesin chuckled, a pointed tease at his soon to be sister.

"Hey!" Sarah chuckled at the good natured barb before she turned to the doors. The bodiless voice announced them all and they approached the thrones, bowing and curtseying to proper deference. Siobhan and Lennon stood to one side, talking with Katrina and Alva.

"Now that everyone is here," Aislinn sighed, staring at Jareth, shaking her head a bit.

The High Queen rose, bidding her siblings and the assorted group to follow her. The room they entered was full of black marble, a small raised platform in the center. The three cousins sat, guards locking them down on the far side of the room.

As Aislinn approached the platform, she waived the first of the cousins to be brought forward. Frey was lead up and he knelt on the platform facing Aislinn, his light red-brown eyes accepting his fate.

"I regret this ends this way," the High Queen's voice was soft as she pushed her own magic into her cousin.

Sarah watched the spark in his eyes fade as he fluttered them closed and fell forward slumping slowly to the ground. Some of the other attendants moved him out of the way and the scene replayed snuffing Espen and Ilmarinen from the world.

Aislinn never blinked at her lot, she'd inherited the job well before becoming Richard's wife, the magic she held being a rare one to be passed on, let alone to a woman. Quietly, Sarah took Jareth's hand, hoping the touch of him would quiet some of the emotional discomfit she had over watching the executions. Screaming, begging and pleading she could have handled, but the quiet resignation to their lot and their impending death weighed heavily on her.

The group returned to the throne room, no one really saying anything. Sarah was still mildly surprised at how peaceful the execution had turned out to be, having been so used to the stories and horrors of executions performed Aboveground.

Finally Richard broke the silence. "So, now, we have the final piece of our promise to the Goblin King. The promise to revisit the banishment of Talesin Pech, Earl of the Winter's Night. It has been 600 years since the ill-fated plan to murder myself and my father, as orchestrated by my brother, almost came to fruition. You have lived well within the bounds of those terms, only breaking it to come to the defense of one of our own. I believe the punishment has been quite enough, given you did not truly know of the plot," Richard's voice was clear and regal. "You are free to return home Talesin. Jareth, you offered rooms?"

"The wing is being prepared as we speak."

"Well, I believe that settles it. In less than two weeks, I believe we shall all be enjoying a wedding," a broad smile crossed Richard's face.

The assembled, close-knit group could all finally breathe a sigh of relief. The worst was truly behind them. Sarah, Jareth and Talesin made their excuses and headed back to the Goblin Kingdom, but not before inviting Katrina and Alva to visit. The trio was laughing happily as they finally landed at home.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

The remaining time leading to the wedding flew by in a flurry of planning and decorating as well as settling family into their rooms. Sarah had taken some time to write some letters and pop Aboveground to London to post them, a broad grin on her face at how her family would respond to them. A couple of days before the wedding, Katrina and Alva showed up, the pair wearing matching bejewelled rings, Richard and Aislinn having agreed to their petition for betrothal. A wedding for them was still well off, but they were happy.

Finally, Beltane Eve was upon them. After dinner, Sarah kissed Jareth goodnight and she and Cecilie sequestered themselves in the Queen's Chambers to prepare for the next day, a cacophony of happy laughter escaping the room. Sean followed Jareth to his chambers, discussing the minutiae that needed to be handled while the festivities raged.

"Your Majesty, I don't see that you shouldn't have just extended the holiday through the following day. The Kingdom will not fall apart for a second day of celebrations," Sean looked over at the king, sighing. "You should take some time to relax, and perchance, actually enjoy yourself. It's been one hell of a month for you, and for her Ladyship."

"Fine, fine," Jareth laughed, some of Sarah's easy going temperament slipping through his normally harsh demeanor. "Post it. Send out the announcements. You win. And you win a day off, yourself. I know keeping up with the chaos my Precious brings to our castle hasn't been easy. Especially with how capricious about my time it has made me."

"Understatement, as always, Jareth," the droll reply came. "But the notice is appreciated. I should go and do a final check of the ballroom and hall to make sure all is ready for tomorrow."  
"Sean, you have quite literally checked over the entire area fifteen times. If it's not been done by now, it's not going to be. Relax, come have a drink with me and then go have a nice evening doing whatever it is you do for fun," Jareth crossed the room to sink into one of the plush chairs in front of the fireplace. "It's not often we have a wedding here."  
Sean moved to make an excuse and Jareth glared at him, pointing at the chair. The royal advisor gave up the sense of propriety for just the one night, and sat, casually talking and laughing with his liege lord. Eventually, closer to dusk, he excused himself, a pleased smirk at the night's conversations.

As Jareth climbed into his bed, alone, for the first time in a month he sighed. It had never felt so empty when he wasn't sharing it with someone, not even after Aoife had faded. It was going to be the longest night he'd had in a long time. After laying there, staring at the ceiling, sleep finally took him, as it did Sarah in the room next to his.

Sarah and Cecilie had sat, talking and laughing since dinner. The young fey lady had a mattress placed on the floor so they could have an Aboveground style sleepover. She had researched and when she proposed the idea, Sarah had laughed, delighted at the fact that Cecilie was trying for some semblance of normalcy for her.

They gossipped about nothing and laughed until their sides hurt the entire evening. Sarah felt a bit empty, knowing Jareth was less than 100 feet from her and she couldn't go to his side. Finally, the laughter and mirth had worn her to exhaustion, and both women had burrowed into their blankets, curled up for the needed sleep.

Dawn broke the next morning and the bustle of the happy day began in the kitchens, the sounds of movement echoing through the building. Slowly, Sarah stretched, the sun creeping in through the window, before she poked Cecilie's arm until the redhead was awake. They both stretched again and started working to dress Sarah for both the wedding and her coronation.

Jareth languidly stretched, his arm landing on the blank space next to him, a slight worry crossing his face until he remembered Sarah was in the Queen's Chambers, dressing for their wedding. A sigh of relief rushed from the Goblin King as he stood and walked to look off his balcony at the Labyrinth below, a smile crossing his face. He turned back into his room and set to dressing to marry his Precious.

The formal hall was abuzz with life. Many of the fey nobles that had been in attendance for the trial now sat excitedly chattering about the wedding, set to start in a few short minutes. Sarah's friends sat in a place of honor on her side of the hall, the nobles a bit bewildered at their appearance. Hoggle and Didymus had dressed in their best clothing, Sarah having commissioned a new nice shirt and vest for Hoggle, while Ludo wore a bow around his neck, trying to look as nice as he could. Jareth's siblings were in the front row, happily talking and adding to the cacophony. Richard sat in Jareth's throne, looking out at the assembled crowd, waiting for the Goblin King to arrive in the room.

The grand clock in the throne room chimed eleven, and Jareth walked in, surprisingly punctually, striding to where Richard stood. A knowing look passed between the two men and Jareth relaxed just a bit, his hidden nerves mildly allayed. The familiar strains of music echoed through the hall, and Cecilie stepped in having thrown the doors wide open before stepping off to the side.

Sarah stepped forward, a vision in white and silver, a bouquet full of bridal roses, blue hyacinth, calla lilies, trailing ivy, myrtle, orange blossoms primroses and a single lavender rose in her hands. Tucked behind her ear, was a single, fully bloomed, thornless red rose. The dress was just off her shoulders, a beautiful lace and silk gown, the body of the dress covering from the top edge of the bodice to her knees with silk, the rest of the dress and train just lace, a daring look for a soon-to-be queen.

A hush fell over the crowd, and Sarah moved towards Jareth, a woman on a mission. The pair only had eyes from one another and when she stood next to him, they gazed at one another, forgetting the world until Richard cleared his throat.

The ceremony passed quickly, Richard proclaiming the High Crown's acceptance that they were wed as Jareth kissed Sarah deeply. After they kissed, he lay his forehead against hers, both sharing a small, sly, smile. The wedding flowed into Sarah's coronation as the Goblin Queen and finally the feast and dancing many of the nobles had been waiting for happened.

Sarah's friends rushed to the pair, Hoggle glaring at Jareth. "Ya better take good care of her, else we're going to be around A LOT," he gruffly chided, glaring at the King. "Don't let him push you around too much, Sarah."

"Hoggle, if he tries to, I'll suspend him head first in the Bog of Eternal Stench," a wry smile crossed Sarah's face as she turned to kiss her husband.

The strains of a song once sang for the two of them floated on the air as Jareth held his Precious close, feeling the perfect weight of her in his arms again, a new vision in white, content in the knowledge she was finally his forever. Matching silver bands had been exchanged at some point and they happily danced in rings around the ballroom floor, starting their forever.


	29. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. (x)**

Sarah sat in the Royal Couple's chambers, on one of the couches in front of the fireplace, grumbling about missing the winter festivities for the second round. The Yule celebrations, two months prior, involving fire jumping had been banned for her, simply because her burgeoning figure falling would have been disastrous.

"It's not fair!" she cried furiously at both Aislinn and Siobhan, who had opted out of the festivities to sit and monitor her.

"Sarah," Siobhan laughed, "you're fit to burst any day with that babe! You need to relax. Jareth said he was coming right back. The last thing you need is to work yourself into a tizzy."

Sarah grumbled again, adjusting her position for what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour, let alone the last couple of days. The constant pressure on her back and sides were getting to be too much. "Next time, Jareth can carry it. I can barely breathe, let alone get comfortable. He'd better be thrilled at his only child," she grumped, a sharp intake of breath at a kick combined with a contraction.

She was sick of feeling so miserable and uncomfortable. The waddling of a woman carrying a child had started two months previously and this baby had decided all her organs were punching bags. The previous days had been consistently punctuated with brief interludes of contractions becoming more and more constant.

"If this kid would just cooper-" she was cut off by a particularly strong contraction, one that made her nearly scream this time. "Ate. Holy hell. WHY did I let him do this?"

The other two women laughed and passed knowing looks between one another. There would be a new little prince or princess come end of day. Aislinn excused herself as Siobhan tried to help Sarah get more comfortable.

"Sarah, you'll be fine. You're strong, you'll make it through this easy as pie," she smiled as Sarah's eyes bulged, another strong contraction hitting her.

Siobhan had spent most of the last two days with Sarah, keeping an eye on her in the last days of her pregnancy, and in the preparations for the winter festival she was going to miss. She had been getting more and more testy as the last days had progressed.

"Oh hell," Sarah grumbled, standing up and whimpering a bit as she headed for the bathroom. "I swear this child is treating my bladder as a trampoline," she called over her shoulder.  
"They all do," Siobhan replied chuckling a bit, starting to debate the idea of another child of her own.

"Shit," Sarah gasped as she waddled back in, nearly doubled in pain. "I think my water just broke and that contraction sucked."  
"Ok, let's get you comfortable in the Queen's chambers, like we'd planned," Siobhan placed a hand on Sarah's back, letting the Goblin Queen squeeze her hand with every contraction as they slowly walked the 100 feet to the other bedroom.

From there, Sarah's labor seemed to be in a race, Jareth's promises of being there forgotten while they tried to muddle through, until Siobhan remembered and frantically sent a goblin to send for the king. Jareth sped to the Queen's chambers and ran in, just as his sister was finishing cleaning up the baby.

"You'd said you'd send for me to be here when this all started," his ire was pointed directly at his sister.

"Things moved a little faster than expected. Shut up and kiss your wife so I can hand her your daughter," Siobhan snarked back.

"Hmm. A daughter," he chucked, easing down next to Sarah, trying not to jostle her in the bed too much, leaning over to kiss her. "You, precious, look beautiful."

"I look a wreck Jareth. Don't try to sweet talk me. You're carrying the next one, just as soon as I figure out how," she grumbled at him. "Siobhan, can you please pass Astraea to me, I'm sure she's hungry."  
Siobhan passed the babe off to her mother and left the happy couple with their new little one. Nine months after the wedding and a Candlemas baby, a sheer bit of luck that was for them. She headed out of the room and down the hallway, a small smile on her face.

"Astraea, such a pretty name," she murmured as she stepped out onto a balcony, looking up at the stars that were twinkling just a bit brighter at the birth of their namesake princess.

The End


End file.
